Objective To observe the clinical effect of elemene injection in the perioperative treatment of esophageal cancer. Methods A total of 180 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent surgical treatment in the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University from January 2017 to July 2018 were selected and divided into the experimental group (n=90) and the control group (n=90) according to the random sequence number generated by the computer. In the experimental group, the thoracic cavity was rinsed and the elemene was instilled and intravenously instilled. The control group was treated with normal saline. Safety indexes, short-term efficacy indexes, immune indexes, tumor marker levels and long-term benefit indexes were observed in the two groups. Results The incidences of leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, low hemoglobin, elevated creatinine, transaminase elevation, nausea and vomiting in the experimental group were 43.33% (39/90), 0 (0/90), 5.55% (5/90), 6.67% (6/90), 4.44% (4/90) and 0 (0/90), those in the control group were 53.33% (48/90), 1.11% (1/90), 2.22% (2/90), 4.44% (4/90), 7.78% (7/90) and 1.11% (1/90), and there were no significant differences between the two groups (χ2=1.802, P=0.179; P=1.000; χ2=0.595, P=0.441; χ2=0.424, P=0.515; χ2=0.871, P=0.351; P=1.000). The postoperative extubation time in the experimental group was (173.36±41.09) h, the postoperative hospital stay was (14.82±4.35) d, the Karnofsky functional status (KPS) score was 81.43±3.89, and those in the control group was (175.76±40.46) h, (15.34±5.22) d and 80.49±2.67, respectively. The differences between the two groups were not statistically significant (t=-0.395, P=0.695; t=-0.726, P=0.472; t=1.890, P=0.061). The total amount of drainage fluid in the experimental group was (665.39±201.31) ml, and the incidence of anastomotic fistula was 1.11% (1/90), which were significantly lower than those in the control group [(732.67±213.84) ml and 8.89% (8/90)], with statistically significant differences (t=-2.173, P=0.032; χ2=4.211, P=0.040). Before treatment, there were no statistically significant differences in immune function between the two groups (all P>0.05). One week after surgery, there was no statistically significant difference in CD3+ between the two groups [(55.45±6.96)% vs. (53.71±6.54)%, t=1.728, P=0.087]; CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ and NK cells in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant [(29.43±5.05)% vs. (25.92±8.06)%, t=3.501, P=0.001; 1.30±0.21 vs. 1.23±0.20, t=0.229, P=0.028; (254.20±15.21)/μl vs. (237.05±10.73)/μl, t=2.741, P=0.007]. The levels of tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the experimental group were (1.37±0.18) ng/ml, (1.26±0.28) ng/ml, (0.89±0.17) ng/ml and (1.06±0.24) ng/ml, significantly lower than those in the control group [(2.86±0.42) ng/ml, (2.92±0.45) ng/ml, (2.38±1.55) ng/ml, (2.82±0.15) ng/ml], and the differences were statistically significant (t=13.928, P=0.014; t=19.728, P=0.011; t=17.924, P=0.006; t=16.625, P=0.003). The 1-year recurrence rate was 2.22% (2/90) in the experimental group, and the half-year mortality rate was 1.11% (1/90) in the experimental group, and 5.56% (5/90) and 2.22% (2/90) in the control group, with no statistically significant differences (χ2=0.595, P=0.441; χ2=0.000, P=1.000). Conclusion Elemene tumor-free sequential treatment combined with postoperative intravenous drip has a positive effect on postoperative recovery of patients with esophageal cancer, which can prevent the occurrence of postoperative anastomotic fistula, improve patients' immune function, reduce the levels of tumor markers, and it is safe and feasible.
