Effect of Jinlong capsule on the survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity score matching study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of Jinlong capsule on the overall survival (OS) rates of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at various stages of the disease. METHODS: A total of 799 patients diagnosed with HCC between January 2016 and December 2019 were enrolled. The three-year OS rate of the Jinlong group (n = 144) was compared with that of the control group (n = 655). To minimize potential bias, propensity score matching (PSM) was applied. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to assess the OS rates of different subgroups, with statistical significance determined by the log-rank test. RESULTS: The Cox regression model revealed that Jinlong treatment was independently associated with an improved three-year OS. The Jinlong group had a significantly higher OS rate than the control group, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.48 (95% confidence interval: 0.38-0.60; P <0.001). After applying PSM at a 1∶2 ratio, 140 patients were included in the Jinlong group and 280 in the control group. The OS rate for the Jinlong group was substantially longer than that for the control group (65.7% vs48.2%, P <0.0001). Additionally, the aHR for Jinlong use showed a dose-response effect: 0.36 for 3-12 months, 0.28 for 12-24 months, and 0.09 for > 24 months of use. Compared to the control treatment, Jinlong treatment consistently reduced the risk of death within three years, of most subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Jinlong treatment significantly improved the three-year survival rate of patients with HCC. These findings provide a foundation for further studies into the effectiveness of Jinlong capsule in the treatment of HCC.