Objective: To study the clinical curative effect of Yangyin Qingre Huayu decoction combined with thoracic radiotherapy on acute radioactive pneumonia (RP)

and its effect on the levels of inflammatory cytokines. Method: The 132 cases of hospitalized patients treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy from July 2013 to July 2015 were randomly divided into Yangyin Qingre Huayu decoction treatment group (65 cases) and control group (67 cases). Treatment group was given Yangyin Qingre Huayu decoction in addition to concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy

one dose a daily

for three months since the start of radiotherapy. Control group was provided with pure chemotherapy or concurrent radiotherapy. Before the beginning of radiotherapy and after 40-50 Gy for radiotherapy

3 mL fasting venous blood was collected to determined plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6)

tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG)'s acute RP evaluation criteria was adopted to evaluate the acute radiation-induced pneumonia incidence and time of occurrence. And the SF-36 scale and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinical symptom score table (self-prepared) were applied in evaluation of the quality of life of the patients and their clinical symptoms. Result: The incidence of acute RP in treatment group was 15.38%

and control group was 29.85%. The median times for RP appearance in treatment group and control group were the 57th day and the 81st day

respectively

indicating that treatment group showed a much later median time for RP appearance than control group (P<0.05). Before the treatment

treatment group and control group showed no statistical difference in IL-6

TNF-α

TGF-β content. After the radiotherapy

in treatment group showed decreases in content to varying degrees

which was significantly superior to control group (P<0.05). After the radiotherapy

the treatment group showed significant increases in physical role

mental health

body pain

and decrease in TCM clinical symptom score

which was much superior to control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Yangyin Qingre Huayu decoction can reduce the incidence of radiation pneumonitis

delay the time of occurrence of radiation pneumonitis

and improve patients' quality of life and their compliance to radiotherapy.