Herbal hope: new combo therapy targets advanced pancreatic cancer

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Histologically or cytologically confirmed Stage IV pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. 2. The expected survival time is \>3 months; 3. Patients meet the standard treatment of gemcitabine - based first-line combination therapy recommended by the 2022 edition of the NCCN Pancreatic Cancer Guidelines; 4. Age above 18 years old and ≤75 years old; 5. ECOG physical state score 0-1; 6. Patients own adequate organ and bone marrow function, defined as neutrophils ≥1,500/ul, hemoglobin ≥ 8.0gm /dL, platelets ≥80,000/uL, serum creatinine \< 2.0 mg/dL, bilirubin \< 1.5 mg/dL, alanine aminotransferase \< 3 times the upper limit of normal; If obstructive jaundice was allowed to enter the study after desicrin treatment, liver function markers were moderately relaxed to bilirubin \< 2.5 mg/dL and alanine aminotransferase \< 5 times the upper limit of normal. 7. Patients must have measurable lesions that meet the RECIST1.1 evaluation criteria. Bone scan abnormalities alone or osteolytic changes shown on plain radiographs cannot be measurable lesions, but can be evaluated in conjunction with bone scan abnormalities. Simple osteogenic bone metastases, pleural or peritoneal exudation, and radiation injury could not be considered as measurable lesions. 8. Patients who have not received "Qingyi Huayji Optimized formula " before (patients who have taken medicine for less than 2 weeks can be included at the discretion of the researchers) and who have received other traditional Chinese medicine treatment before must stop taking medicine 1 week before this study. 9. Female subjects of reproductive age must undergo a negative pregnancy test within 2 weeks prior to study drug initiation and be willing to use a medically approved highly effective contraceptive (e.g., intrauterine device, contraceptive or condom) during the study period and within 3 months after the last study drug administration; Male subjects with partners of women of reproductive age should agree to use effective contraceptive methods during the study period and within 3 months after the last study administration; 10. Patients is expected to possess good compliance, can understand and sign written informed consent, and willing to cooperate with the collection of TCM syndrome information; 11. SIRI value ≥0.8; SIRI = N × M/L, N, M, and L represent peripheral blood neutrophil, monocyte, and lymphocyte counts, respectively. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Patients with ECOG score ≥2, who could not tolerate any antitumor therapy, or who could only receive the best supportive treatment were not considered for inclusion in this study. 2. The expected survival time \< 3 months. 3. Other serious diseases or conditions, including deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities, congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association Grade III or IV), unstable angina, etc. 4. Patients with co-infection requiring intravenous antibiotic treatment. 5. Pregnant or lactating women. Women of childbearing age who were unwilling or unable to use an acceptable method of contraception throughout the treatment period of this trial and within 12 weeks after the final administration of the study drug. 6. Known pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, acinar cell carcinoma, intraductal papillary tumors and other types of pancreatic tumors. 7. Past or concurrent cancers with a primary focus or histologically distinct from pancreatic cancer, except cervical carcinoma in situ, treated basal cell carcinoma, and superficial bladder tumors (Ta, Tis \& T1). Any cancer that had been cured for more than 3 years prior to inclusion was admitted. 8. Those who are known to be allergic to components of Qingyihuaji optimized formula. 9. Unable to swallow Traditional Chinese medicine or untreated malabsorption syndrome, or unwilling to take Traditional Chinese medicine.