Abstract:Objective To confirm the short-term efficacy, survival with tumor and T cell subsets of advanced lung cancer patients treated with compound Kushen injection. Methods A total of 120 advanced lung cancer patients from January 2015 to October 2016 were collected and divided into control group with GP chemotherapy treatment (n = 60) and TCM group (n = 60) with compound Kushen injection on basis of GP chemotherapy. After 4 chemotherapy cycles, the short-time efficacy on basis of RECIST v1.0, TCM syndrome scores, Karnofsky scores, safety and the T cell subsets were evaluated. Kaplan-Meier curve and Log-rank χ2 test were used to analyzed the overall survival (OS) with tumor. Results According to RECIST V 1.0, there was no significant difference of total efficacy rate between control group and TCM group [58.33% (35/60) VS 73.33% (44/60)] (P > 0.05). According to TCM scores, the overall response rates of patients in TCM group were higher than that of control group [33.33% (20/60) VS 61.67% (37/60)] (P < 0.05). And Karnofsky scores of patients in TCM group were climbed trend (all P < 0.05). The 3-year OS in TCM was higher than that in control group [50.0% (26/52) VS 23.64% (13/55)] (P < 0.05). The incidence rates of adverse gastrointestinal reaction [28.33% (17/60) VS 10.0% (6/60)], oedema [30.0% (18/60) VS 10.0% (6/60)] and liver or renal toxicity [13.33% (8/60) VS 1.67% (1/60)] in TCM group were all lower than those in control group (all P < 0.05). Compared with control group, the differences after and before treatment of CD4+T cell levels [(0.95±1.23) VS (5.52±1.48)], CD4+/CD8+ ratio [(0.10±0.08) VS (0.40±0.17)], CD4+T cell levels [(0.34±1.02) VS (-4.89±1.73)] in TCM group were higher (all P < 0.05). The median OS of control group and TCM group were 26.0 months and 38.0 months (P < 0.05). Conclusion Compound Kushen injection can effectively improve the short-term efficacy and quality of life, ameliorate the immune function of T lymphocytes and reduce the side effects of chemotherapy, in order to prolong the survival with tumor of patients with advanced lung cancer.