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Table 1 Characteristics of the included randomized controlled trials

From: Twelve Chinese herbal preparations for the treatment of depression or depressive symptoms in cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Author, year

Sample size R/A*

Age (years)

Women (%)

Diagnostic criteria

Cancer

Intervention T/C*

Anticancer therapies

Practice mode

Outcomes

Chen et al. [26]

120/120

T: 64.1 ± 6.3 C: 60.0 ± 9.1

70.0

Depression: CCMD-3

Lung and breast cancers; any stage

T: Xuefuzhuyu decoction,1 dose/d; C: no treatment

Y

IT*

1, 2

Liu et al. [42]

38/38

T: 58.9 ± 4.8 C: 59.6 ± 4.5

55.3

Depression: CCMD-3, SDS > 50, HAMD-24 > 7

Lung cancer; stage IIIB to IV

T: Yangfeixiaojijieyu decoction, 1 dose/d; C: no treatment

Y

NIT*

1, 2, 4

Ma et al. [43]

81/81

T: 53.9 ± 10.7 C: 56.0 ± 11.9

60.5

Depression: CCMD-2R, HAMD-17 > 18

Gastric, lung, esophageal, breast, liver and other cancers; any stage

T: Danzhixiaoyao decoction,1 dose/d, 8 weeks; C: no treatment

Y

IT

1, 2

Meng et al. [44]

78/78

median T: 61.2 C: 62.2

41.0

Depressive symptoms: SDS > 53

Esophageal cancer; any stage

T: Chaihushugan decoction alternatively combined with Tongyou decoction; C: no treatment

Y

NIT

1

Meng et al. [45]

100/100

T: 68.7 ± 1.4 C: 69.7 ± 1.7

31.0

Depression: CCMD-3, SDS > 50, HAMD-24 > 20

Breast, gastric, colorectal and lung cancers; any stage

T: Ganmaidazao decoction, 15 d; C: no treatment

Y

IT

1, 3

Sun et al. [46]

64/64

T: 46.0 ± 11.7 C: 46.3 ± 12.3

100.0

Depression: ICD-10, DSM, CCMD-3

Breast cancer; any stage

T: Xiaoyao decoction, 1 dose/d, 6 weeks; C: no treatment

Y

IT

1, 4, 5

Wu et al. [47]

82/77

T: 53.4 ± 16.8 C: 52.6 ± 15.7

41.5

Depressive symptoms: HAMD

Gastric cancer; Stage III to IV

T: Shuganjieyu capsule, 0.72 g, bid, 6 weeks; C: no treatment

Y

NIT

1, 2, 5

Fang et al. [48]

90/90

T: 42.3 ± 18.1 C: 47.6 ± 16.9

54.4

Depressive symptoms: SDS > 50, HAMD-17 > 14

Lung, breast, colorectal, liver and other cancers; any stage

T: Chaihushugan decoction, 1 dose/d, 6 weeks; C: fluoxetine, 20 mg qd for 2 weeks, then 20–40 mg qd for 4 weeks

Y

NIT

1, 2, 5

Fu et al. [49]

26/26

T: 41–65 C: 39–68

42.3

Depression: CCMD-3, 14 ≤ HAMD-17 ≤ 24

Breast, esophageal, rectal, nasopharynx, gastric and lung cancers; any stage

T: Suanzaorenjialongmu decoction, 1 dose/d, 6 weeks; C: fluoxetine, 20 mg qd for 2 weeks, then 20–40 mg qd for 4 weeks

NR

NIT

1, 2, 5

Jin et al. [50]

82/82

T: 23.8 ± 7.7 C: 22.9 ± 6.9

NR

Depression: CCMD-3

Breast cancer; stage I to III

T: Xiaoyao decoction, 1 dose/d, 10 weeks; C: alprazolam,0.4 mg bid, 10 weeks

NR

NIT

1, 5

Liu et al. [27]

60/60

T: 51.4 ± 8.7 C: 51.3 ± 6.6

100.0

Depression: CCMD-3, SDS > 50

Breast cancer; stage I to IIIC

T: Xiaoyao decoction, 1 dose/d, 6 weeks; C: flupenthixol and melitracen, 1 tablet bid, 6 week

NR

IT

1, 2, 5

Ma et al. [51]

60/60

18–80

46.7

Depression: DSM-IV

Breast, esophageal, colorectal, gastric, lung, ovarian, prostatic and liver cancers; stage II to IV

T: Shuganjieyuhuaji decoction, 1 dose/d, 6 weeks; C: fluoxetine 20 mg qd, 6 weeks

NR

NIT

1, 2, 3

Tian et al. [52]

120/120

30–70

NR

Depression: CCMD-3, HAMD≥16

Breast, pancreatic, esophageal, lung and gastric cancers; any stage

T: Chaihujialonggumuli decoction,1 dose/d + PT, 6 weeks; C: fluoxetine 20 mg qd + PT, 6 weeks

NR

NIT

1, 2

Zhang et al. [53]

98/98

T: 58.0 ± 8.5 C: 57.0 ± 9.4

54.1

Depression: CCMD-3, HAMD> 20

Breast, colorectal, esophageal, lung and gastric cancers; any stage

T: Ganmaidazao decoction, 1 dose/d, 8 weeks; C: flupenthixol and melitracen 10.5 mg bid, 8 weeks

Y

NIT

1, 2, 5

Zheng et al. [54]

126/126

T: 48 ± 16 C: 49 ± 15

43.7

Depression: “diagnosed by psychiatrist”

NR; any stage

T: Chaihushugan decoction, 1 dose/d, 30 days; C: PT

NR

NIT

2

Jia et al. [55]

78/78

T: 53.0 ± 3.6 C:53.0 ± 4.2

78.2

Depression: CCMD-2R

Lymphoma, osteosarcoma, breast, liver, endometrial, gastrointestinal, ovarian and renal cancers; any stage

T: oral Chinese herbal medicine decoction, 1 dose/d, 4 weeks; C: fluoxetine 20 mg qd 4 weeks

NR

IT

2

Dai et al. [28]

80/80

T: 64.6 ± 10.8 C: 59.7 ± 9.8

45.0

Depression: CCMD, HAMD> 18

Gastric cancer; any stage

T: Banxiahoupo decoction+liujunzi decoction, 1 dose/d; C: PT

NR

NIT

2

Xu et al. [56]

58/58

T: 63.9 ± 10.8 C: 58.9 ± 9.6

69.0

Depression: CCMD, HAMD-17 > 17

Gastric cancer; any stage

T: Banxiahoupo decoction+liujunzi decoction, 1 dose/d; C: PT

NR

NIT

1, 2

  1. CHM Chinese herbal medicine, PT psychological treatments, NR not reported, IT individualized treatments, NIT non-individualized treatments, HAMD Hamilton Depression Scale, SDS Self-Rating Depression Scale, EORTC QLQ C-30 European Organization for Research on Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-30, CCMD Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders, DSM Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, ICD International Classification of Diseases
  2. *R/A: randomized number/analyzed number
  3. *T/C: interventions other than the anticancer treatment of the treatment group and the control group, respectively
  4. Outcomes: 1) group mean scores on rating scales for depression; 2) response rate for depression; 3) group mean scores on rating scales for quality of life; 4) response rate for quality of life; 5) the incidence of adverse events