The Therapeutic Value of Valacyclovir Combined with Thymosin Therapy for Esophageal Cancer Complicated with Postherpetic Neuralgia

© 2026 by the Authors. Licensee Whioce Publishing, Singapore. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )

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Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of valacyclovir combined with thymosin therapy on patients with esophageal cancer complicated by postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Methods: A total of 76 patients with esophageal cancer complicated by PHN who were admitted for treatment from January 2023 to January 2025 were selected and evenly divided into two groups using a random number table. The observation group received valacyclovir combined with thymosin therapy, while the reference group received valacyclovir monotherapy. The overall response rate, pain scores, serological indicators, and T-lymphocyte subsets were compared between the two groups. Results: The overall response rate in the observation group was higher than that in the reference group (P < 0.05). After 10 days of treatment, the pain scores in the observation group were lower than those in the reference group, and the serological indicators and T-lymphocyte subsets were superior to those in the reference group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Valacyclovir combined with thymosin therapy can improve the clinical efficacy in patients with esophageal cancer complicated by PHN, alleviate pain symptoms, regulate serological indicators, and protect the immune function of patients.

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