SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Oncol. Rev.
Sec. Oncology Reviews: Reviews
Brucea javanica Oil Emulsion as an Adjunct to Chemoradiotherapy in Cervical Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Adverse Effects Reduction and Immune Enhancement
- B昊
Buwei 昊 Han 1
- M昊
Mingge 昊 Liang 2
- DQ
Ding Qi 2,3
- YQ
YangFan Qu 2
- J昊
Jinzhe 昊 Liu 4
- WA
Wenxia AI 2
- Y昊
Yue 昊 Yang 1
- WL
Wenlan Li 1
1. Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin, China
2. Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
3. Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine Affiliated Second Hospital, Harbin, China
4. Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
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Abstract
Background: Brucea javanica oil emulsion (BJOE) has been proposed as an adjuvant therapy to mitigate adverse reactions in cervical cancer patients receiving radiotherapy/chemotherapy, yet its efficacy remains understudied. This meta-analysis aimed to systematically evaluate the clinical benefits and safety of BJOE in this population. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and six other databases for Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) up to February 2025. Primary outcomes included adverse reactions (rectal symptoms, nausea/vomiting, leukopenia, radiation cystitis) and immune function markers (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+). Pooled risk ratios (RR) and mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using RevMan 5.4 and Stata 13.0. Results: Five RCTs (N=372 patients) were included. BJOE supplementation significantly reduced the incidence of rectal symptoms (RR=0.56, 95%CI: 0.45-0.68), nausea/vomiting (RR=0.60, 95%CI: 0.43-0.85), leukopenia (RR=0.52, 95%CI: 0.34-0.77), and radiation cystitis (RR=0.46, 95%CI: 0.33-0.63). Immune function improved markedly (CD3+: MD=4.42, 95%CI: 3.76-5.08; CD4+: MD=2.50, 95%CI: 1.88-3.13; CD8+: MD=3.14, 95%CI: 1.84-4.43). Conclusion: As an adjunctive rather than a direct antitumor agent, BJOE effectively reduces treatment-related adverse effects and enhances immune responses in patients with cervical cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy, supporting its clinical utility. However, the current evidence grades predominantly fall into the low or very low categories, further large-scale trials are warranted to validate these findings.
Summary
Keywords
adverse events, Brucea javanica oil emulsion, cervical cancer, Chemoradiotherapy, Immune function, Meta-analysis
Received
13 May 2026
Accepted
03 August 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Han, Liang, Qi, Qu, Liu, AI, Yang and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Mingge 昊 Liang; Wenlan Li
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