Objective To observe the clinical effect of Xiaoyan Decoction（ 消 岩汤） combined with elemene injection on cancer cachexia. Methods One hundred and twenty-one patients with cancer cachexia were randomized into control group（ 40 cases）

elemene group（ 40 cases） and combination group（ 41 cases）. All groups were given 18AA-Ⅱcompound amino acid injection 250 ml intravenous drip

once every day. The control group was added megestrol acetate dispersible tablets orally

160 mg each time

once every day. The elemene group was added elemene injection 0. 2 g intravenous drip

once every day. The combination group was added Xiaoyan Decoction orally and elemene injection 0. 2 g intravenous drip

once every day. All groups were treated for 2 months. Examined patients’ intake

body mass

Karnofsky Performance Status（ KPS） scores. Detected the girth of middle upper arm and related biochemical indexes

such as hemoglobin

albumin

leptin

tumor necrosis factor-α

interleukin 6 and immune function indexes including T lymphocyte subsets and natural killer cells（ NK）. Results The total effective rate of intake in the control group

the elemene group and the combination group was respectively 70. 0%

72. 5% and85. 4%; the total effective rate of body mass was 60. 0%

72. 5% and 80. 5% respectively; the total effective rate of KPS scores were 65. 0%

67. 5% and 82. 9%. The combination group was superior to the control group and the elemene group（ P

<

0. 05）. After treatment

compared with the control group

the girth of middle upper arm in the elemene group and the combination group increased significantly（ P

<

0. 05）. After treatment

hemoglobin

albumin

leptin

tumor necrosis factor-α

interleukin 6

CD3

+

CD4

+

CD4

+

/ CD8

+

and NK in the combination group increased significantly compared with before treatment

and with the control group after treatment. CD8

+

decreased（ P

<

0. 05）. After treatment

compared with the elemene group

albumin and CD4

+

/ CD8

+

in the combination group increased significantly. CD8

+

decreased significantly（ P

<

0. 05）. Conclusion Xiaoyan Decoction combined with elemene injection might enhance immune function

improve muscle protein degradation of cancer cachexia and promote muscle growth of patients’ skeletal muscles by reducing inflammatory cytokines to improve cancer cachexia status.