Comparing Astragalus Plus Gemcitabine to Gemcitabine Alone as Neoadjuvant Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Astragalus is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine in China, which has been widely applied to enhance the immunomodulatory function of the body and suppress the growth of tumors. It was often combined with other herbs to strengthen the body against disease. The effects and mechanisms of Astragalus and Shenqi Fuzheng Injection (the main ingredients are Codonopsis and Astragalus) in the treatment of digestive tract diseases were studied. Investigators found that Astragalus can not only inhibit the growth of pancreatic tumors, but also down regulate the ability of CAFs to secrete βig-h3, thereby inducing CD8+T proliferation and inhibiting the polarization of macrophages into M2 macrophages, thereby enhancing the response of pancreatic tumors to gemcitabine and other treatment options. Thus, the objective of this study is to compare the impact of combining Astragalus with Gemcitabine versus Gemcitabine alone as neoadjuvant treatment for pancreatic cancer.