Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40652114›Full record

ArticleDiscover oncology2025

Efficacy of astragalus polysaccharides (PG2) in alleviating chemotherapy-induced fatigue in gynecologic cancer: a retrospective cohort study.

Chia-Ching Chang, Yi-Liang Lee, Chih-Hsiang Yin, Cheng-Chang Chang, Yi-Hsin Lin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Discover oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Synergistic antitumor effects ofFrontiers in pharmacology · 2025
    Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Chia-Ching ChangDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yi-Liang LeeDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chih-Hsiang YinDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
Cheng-Chang ChangDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. obsgynchang@gmail.com.
Yi-Hsin LinDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan. m860371@gmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCancer related fatigue (CRF) is a common and debilitating side effect among gynecologic cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Astragalus polysaccharides (PG2), an immunomodulatory drug, has shown promise in relieving CRF. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of PG2 in managing CRF in gynecologic cancer patients.

methodsThis retrospective cohort study was performed at the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Tri-Service General Hospital from December 2015 to December 2022. Of 53 patients included, 40 received PG2 with chemotherapy, while 13 received chemotherapy alone. Outcomes included CRF severity and HRQL, assessed via Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General 7 (FACT-G7), plus safety profiles.

resultsPG2-treated patients showed a statistically significant reduction in CRF severity, as reflected by lower BFI (p < 0.001). The PG2 group showed trends toward improved HRQL and reduced appetite loss, though not statistically significant (p > 0.05). PG2's safety profile aligned with the control group, showing no increase in grade 3/4 toxicities.

conclusionThe study concludes that PG2 shows promise as an adjunct therapy in the management of CRF among patients with gynecologic cancer receiving chemotherapy. However, the findings highlight the need for additional prospective, randomized controlled trials to rule out the risk of bias and ascertain PG2's full therapeutic potential in oncology supportive care.

Indexed as

Astragalus polysaccharidesCancer-related fatigueChemotherapyGynecologic cancerPG2Quality of life

Identifiers

PMID40652114
PMCPMC12255631

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.