Study on the Application of Chinese Herbal Bath in Cancer Fatigue of Chemotherapy Patients with Colorectal Malignancy

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of herbal decoction for managing cancer-related fatigue in chemotherapy patients with colorectal malignancies. Methods: From January to December 2024, 120 chemotherapy patients with colorectal malignancies at a tertiary hospital’s oncology department were randomly divided into a control group (60 cases) and an observation group (60 cases). The control group received standard chemotherapy care and health education, while the observation group received herbal decoction therapy in addition to standard care. Both groups were compared for pre- and post-intervention changes in cancer-related fatigue scores (Piper Fatigue Scale, PFS), quality of life scores (EORTC QLQ-C30), and adverse reaction occurrence. Results: After 4 weeks of intervention, the observation group showed significantly lower total PFS scores and reduced scores across behavioral, emotional, sensory, and cognitive dimensions compared to the control group ( P < 0.01). The observation group also demonstrated significantly lower scores for fatigue, shortness of breath, lethargy, limb heaviness, and lower back/knee soreness ( P < 0.01). Additionally, the observation group exhibited significantly higher scores for physical function, role function, emotional function, and social functioning on the EORTC QLQ-C30 scale ( P < 0.01), while showing significantly lower fatigue symptom scores ( P < 0.01). No statistically significant difference was observed in adverse reaction incidence between groups ( P > 0.05). Conclusion: Herbal decoction effectively alleviates cancer-related fatigue in chemotherapy patients with colorectal malignancies, improves clinical symptoms through traditional Chinese medicine approaches, enhances quality of life, and demonstrates good safety profiles.