Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026.
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Jul 15, 2026; 18(7): 120031
Published online Jul 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.120031
Published online Jul 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.120031
Table 3 Summary of findings of evidence in administration of Chinese herbal medicine for advanced colorectal cancer
| Ref. | Details of PICO | Numbers of RCTs | Participants | Effect estimates | Quality of evidence | |
| Treatment | Control | |||||
| OS | ||||||
| Sun et al[66] | Oral administration of CHM + chemotherapy vs chemotherapy for advanced CRC | 4 | 201 | 196 | HR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.52-0.83 | Low1,2 |
| 1-year survival | ||||||
| Xu et al[40] | Oral administration of CHM for advanced CRC of stage IV or Duke’s D | 4 | 112 | 97 | RR = 1.27, 95%CI: 1.07-1.52 | Low1,3 |
| 2-year survival | ||||||
| Xu et al[40] | Oral administration of CHM for advanced CRC of stage IV or Duke’s D | 2 | 62 | 47 | RR = 1.19, 95%CI: 0.85-1.68 | Low1,3 |
| ORR | ||||||
| Zhang[42] | Oral administration of CHM + chemotherapy vs chemotherapy for advanced CRC | 54 | 2209 | 2188 | OR = 1.41, 95%CI: 1.32-1.49 | Low1,2 |
| Wu[62] | Oral administration of CHM + chemotherapy vs chemotherapy for advanced CC | 29 | 1229 | 1176 | OR = 1.77, 95%CI: 1.49-2.11 | Low1,2 |
| Zhao et al[61] | Oral administration of CHM + FOLFOX vs FOLFOX for advanced CRC | 6 | 198 | 192 | RR = 1.34, 95%CI: 1.11-1.63 | Low1,3 |
| Zhao et al[61] | Oral administration of CHM + XELOX vs XELOX for advanced CRC | 12 | 400 | 395 | RR = 1.44, 95%CI: 1.21-1.70 | Moderate1 |
| Zhou et al[43] | CKI + oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy vs oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy for advanced CRC | 31 | 1247 | 1234 | RR = 1.40, 95%CI: 1.29-1.51 | Low1,2 |
| Wu[56] | CKI + FOLFOX vs FOLFOX for advanced CRC | 8 | 280 | 281 | RR = 1.26, 95%CI: 1.12-1.43 | Moderate 1 |
| Li[44] | ADI + FOLFIRI vs FOLFIRI for advanced CRC | 7 | 298 | 295 | RR = 1.16, 95%CI: 0.96-1.41 | Low1,4 |
| Hu et al[28] | ADI + FOLFOX4 vs FOLFOX4 for advanced CRC | 16 | 705 | 672 | RR = 1.22, 95%CI: 1.11-1.34 | Moderate 1 |
| Peng et al[45] | BJOEI + FOLFIRI vs FOLFIRI for advanced CRC | 6 | 269 | 259 | RR = 1.30, 95%CI: 1.17-1.45 | Low1,5 |
| Peng et al[45] | BJOEI + FOLFOX vs FOLFOX for advanced CRC | 6 | 257 | 244 | RR = 1.45, 95%CI: 1.22-1.72 | Low1,5 |
| Wang et al[48] | SFI + first-line chemotherapy vs first-line chemotherapy for advanced CRC | 12 | 445 | 428 | RR = 1.35, 95%CI: 1.18-1.55 | Low1,2 |
| Liao et al[86] | KLTI + chemotherapy vs chemotherapy for advanced CRC | 6 | 265 | 259 | OR = 1.96, 95%CI: 1.36-2.81 | Low1,2 |
| Zhang et al[82] | KAI + FOLFIRI vs FOLFIRI for advanced CRC | 4 | 150 | 149 | OR = 1.82, 95%CI: 1.16-2.87 | Low1,3 |
| Huang et al[47] | KAI + chemotherapy vs chemotherapy for advanced CRC | 22 | 878 | 837 | RR = 1.32, 95%CI: 1.22-1.43 | Low1,2 |
| DCR | ||||||
| Xu et al[40] | Oral administration of CHM for advanced CRC (stage IV or Duke’s D) | 37 | 955 | 903 | RR = 1.12, 95%CI: 1.06-1.17 | Low1,2 |
| Zhou et al[43] | CKI + oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy vs oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy for advanced CRC | 31 | 1247 | 1234 | RR = 1.12, 95%CI: 1.08-1.16 | Low1,2 |
| Wu et al[51] | CKI + FOLFOX vs FOLFOX for advanced CRC | 8 | 280 | 281 | RR = 1.06, 95%CI: 1.01-1.12 | Low1,5 |
| Li[44] | ADI + FOLFIRI vs FOLFIRI for advanced CRC | 5 | 226 | 226 | RR = 1.14, 95%CI: 1.02-1.28 | Low1,4 |
| Hu et al[28] | ADI + FOLFOX4 vs FOLFOX4 for advanced CRC | 16 | 701 | 666 | RR = 1.10, 95%CI: 1.05-1.16 | Moderate1 |
| Wang et al[48] | SFI + first-line chemotherapy vs first-line chemotherapy for advanced CRC | 11 | 410 | 396 | RR = 1.12, 95%CI: 1.05-1.19 | Low1,2 |
| Difference of KPS score between pre-treatment and post-treatment | ||||||
| Xu et al[40] | Oral administration of CHM for advanced CRC (stage IV or Duke’s D) | 24 | 583 | 572 | MD = 6.23, 95%CI 4.75-7.70 | Low1,2 |
| KPS improvement rate | ||||||
| Li[52] | Oral administration of CHM + chemotherapy for metastatic CRC | 16 | 586 | 548 | RR = 1.46, 95%CI: 1.35-1.58 | Low1,2 |
| Zhou et al[43] | CKI + FOLFOX4 vs FOLFOX4 for advanced CRC | 16 | 658 | 636 | RR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.14-1.36 | Moderate1 |
| Hu et al[28] | ADI + FOLFOX4 vs FOLFOX4 for advanced CRC | 7 | 329 | 304 | RR = 1.30, 95%CI: 1.18-1.44 | Moderate1 |
| Peng et al[45] | BJOEI + FOLFOX vs FOLFOX for advanced CRC | 3 | 139 | 126 | RR = 1.31, 95%CI: 1.13-1.53 | Low1,3 |
| Wang et al[48] | SFI + first-line chemotherapy vs first-line chemotherapy for advanced CRC | 7 | 257 | 240 | RR = 1.26, 95%CI: 1.13-1.40 | Low1,2 |
| Huang et al[47] | KAI + chemotherapy vs Chemotherapy for advanced CRC | 17 | 647 | 575 | RR = 1.48, 95%CI: 1.36-1.60 | Low1,2 |
- Citation: Wang HP, Qin XY, Xu BW, Lu TC, Gao RK, Lin M, Li J. Chinese herbal medicine for colorectal cancer: An overview of systematic reviews and evidence map. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2026; 18(7): 120031
- URL: https://www.wjgnet.com/1948-5204/full/v18/i7/120031.htm
- DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4251/wjgo.120031