Sancai Fengsui Decoction for RTOM: A Multicenter RCT

July 3, 2026 updated by: Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University

A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Rehabilitative Efficacy of Sancai Fengsui Decoction on Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis.

How to promote the prognosis and outcome of RTOM, restore oral function, and improve quality of life are key issues for improving the long-term outcomes of head and neck malignant tumor radiotherapy, and are also integral parts of the patient-centered Traditional Chinese Medicine "prevention-treatment-rehabilitation" system for RTOM. This project aims to thoroughly evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal compounds in the rehabilitation phase of RTOM, targeting the long-term rehabilitation outcomes of RTOM, and to conduct a phase II clinical trial. In this project, Sancai Fengsui Decoction will be used as an oral medication to improve the rehabilitation status of RTOM, and will be compared with a placebo group. The efficacy of the oral medication will be evaluated by comparing outcome measures including the 2-week pain relief rate in the oral cavity/oropharynx, the RTOG grade remission rate for RTOM, and the relief rate of xerostomia. As an important extension of TCM prevention and treatment for RTOM, this project can provide a high-level evidence-based TCM protocol for the long-term rehabilitation of RTOM.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
126

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Jian Guan, PhD
  • Phone Number: 020-62787238Guanj@smu.edu.cn
  • Email: Guanj@smu.edu.cn

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Meets the diagnostic criteria for RTOM, with severity classified according to the RTOG grading system;
  • Voluntarily participates in this study and signs the informed consent form;
  • Age between 18 and 65 years;
  • Histopathologically diagnosed with non-metastatic head and neck malignancy;
  • Has received radiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy;
  • ECOG performance status score: 0-2;
  • Adequate major organ function.
  • Exclusion Criteria:
  • Patients with severe heart, lung, liver, kidney, digestive system, hematopoietic system, or nervous system diseases; acute infectious diseases; autoimmune diseases; HIV; diabetes mellitus with poor blood glucose control; or any other serious condition that, in the investigator's judgment, may increase the risk of the study, interfere with study execution or result analysis, or make the subject unsuitable for enrollment for other reasons;
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women;
  • Allergic constitution;
  • Patients with severe psychiatric disorders, or a history of alcohol or drug abuse;
  • Participation in another clinical trial within the past 3 months;
  • Subjects deemed unsuitable for participation in this clinical study by the investigator.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Sancai Fengshui Tang group
Sancai Fengsui Decoction group: Orally administered Sancai Fengsui Decoction, 30 mL per dose, three times daily, with a treatment course of two weeks.
Drug: Sancai Fengsui Decoction
To investigate the efficacy of Sancai Fengsui Decoction in the treatment of RTOM，orally administered Sancai Fengsui Decoction, 30 mL per dose, three times daily, with a treatment course of two weeks.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo control group
Placebo group: The control group received a placebo that matched the color, odor, and taste of the Sancai Fengsui Decoction but contained no active ingredients of the decoction. The usage and dosage were the same as those in the Sancai Fengsui Decoction group.
Drug: Placebo Group
The control group received a placebo that matched the color, odor, and taste of the Sancai Fengsui Decoction but contained no active ingredients of the decoction. The usage and dosage were the same as those in the Sancai Fengsui Decoction group.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pain relief rate in the oral cavity/oropharynx
Time Frame: Proportion of patients with significant improvement in pain level from baseline at 2 weeks after enrollment, assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS).
The proportion of patients achieving a clinically significant improvement in pain intensity from baseline to 2 weeks post-enrollment, as assessed by the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Complete response (CR) was defined as a pain score of 0 (no pain), and partial response (PR) was defined as either a reduction of at least 2 points from baseline on the NRS or an improvement by one pain category, according to the following NRS classification: no pain (0), mild pain (1-3), moderate pain (4-6), and severe pain (7-10).
Proportion of patients with significant improvement in pain level from baseline at 2 weeks after enrollment, assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
RTOG score remission rate of RTOM
Time Frame: Evaluated at 2 weeks post-radiotherapy
The proportion of patients with a reduction of at least 1 grade in mucosal reaction at 2 weeks after radiotherapy, according to the RTOG acute radiation morbidity grading criteria (complete response defined as return to grade 0, partial response as reduction by at least 1 grade).
Evaluated at 2 weeks post-radiotherapy
3-month xerostomia relief rate
Time Frame: From enrollment (Day 0) through Month 3, spanning the entire radiotherapy treatment period.
To evaluate the proportion of patients who achieve a clinically significant improvement in subjectively reported xerostomia severity over the 3-month period, as assessed by the xerostomia questionnaire.
From enrollment (Day 0) through Month 3, spanning the entire radiotherapy treatment period.
Analgesic medication use
Time Frame: Baseline (screening/enrollment), week 1 and week 2 of the treatment period, weeks 1 through 6 of the follow-up period (weekly), and week 10 of the follow-up period.
By reviewing patients' medication diaries and medical records, we analyzed changes in the average daily dosage and frequency of analgesic use, as well as cases of dose reduction or drug discontinuation.
Baseline (screening/enrollment), week 1 and week 2 of the treatment period, weeks 1 through 6 of the follow-up period (weekly), and week 10 of the follow-up period.
Usage of nutrient solutions/nutritional powders
Time Frame: Baseline (screening/enrollment), week 1 and week 2 of the treatment period, weeks 1 through 6 of the follow-up period (weekly), and week 10 of the follow-up period.
Consumption records of nutritional support products were collected to analyze the proportion of patients dependent on enteral nutrition support, as well as changes in usage volume and duration
Baseline (screening/enrollment), week 1 and week 2 of the treatment period, weeks 1 through 6 of the follow-up period (weekly), and week 10 of the follow-up period.
European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30
Time Frame: Baseline (screening), treatment week 2, and follow-up weeks 2, 6, and 10
The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and its head and neck cancer module (QLQ-H&N35) were adopted to evaluate the improvement in overall quality-of-life scores and scores of specific domains (e.g., fatigue, swallowing function)
Baseline (screening), treatment week 2, and follow-up weeks 2, 6, and 10
European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Head and Neck 35
Time Frame: Baseline (screening), treatment week 2, and follow-up weeks 2, 6, and 10
The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and its head and neck cancer module (QLQ-H&N35) were adopted to evaluate the improvement in overall quality-of-life scores and scores of specific domains (e.g., fatigue, swallowing function)
Baseline (screening), treatment week 2, and follow-up weeks 2, 6, and 10

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 31, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 31, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 7, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 3, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 9, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 9, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 3, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • NFEC-2026-211

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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