Category: Cancer Care

An American study shows acupuncture reduces pain after bone marrow transplantation, and decreases postoperative opioid use. Sixty adults with multiple myeloma and undergoing chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation, were randomised to receive either true or sham acupuncture once daily for five days. The first treatment was given the day after chemotherapy. Opioid use was assessed at 5, 15 and 30 days after transplantation.

All 15 true acupuncture patients who were non-users of opioids, remained free of them still at the end of the study. By contrast, 20% of those given sham acupuncture started using opioids after chemotherapy and stem cell infusion (day 5), and by the 30 day point, 40% were users. As regards patients who were already opioid users at baseline, by day 30, 21% in the true acupuncture group and 30% in the sham acupuncture group, had increased their use. The researchers conclude that acupuncture appears to significantly reduce the need for pain medications during this procedure and warrants further studies as an opioid-sparing intervention.

(Reduction of Opioid Use by Acupuncture in Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized, Sham-Controlled Trial. Pain Medicine, 9 September 2019.)

A review by American clinicians of acupuncture in cancer care, shows it is associated with improvements across a range of symptoms patients typically encounter. They studied records on 375 patients, mean age 56, presenting for acupuncture treatment over one year at an outpatient integrative medicine clinic. The worst symptoms at baseline were poor sleep, fatigue, impaired wellbeing and pain.

After the initial acupuncture session, statistically significant improvements were noted across all symptoms. The highest mean reduction occurred for hot flushes, followed by fatigue, numbness/tingling and nausea. Clinically significant reductions were observed in both physical and psychological symptom scores, including those for anxiety, appetite, depression, dry mouth, shortness of breath and wellbeing. Response rates were highest for symptoms of spiritual pain (59%), dry mouth (58%) and nausea (57%).

The study authors point out that a 2017 National Cancer Institute paper identified as a future direction the need to advance the evidence-based integration of acupuncture into conventional cancer care settings.

(Outpatient acupuncture effects on patient self-reported symptoms in oncology care: a retrospective analysis. Journal of Cancer, 8 September 2018.)

An American research team has found preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture in reducing the incidence of high grade chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, in women being treated for breast cancer. A total of 104 stage I-III breast cancer patients receiving weekly paclitaxel (Taxol) treatment, were screened for symptoms of peripheral neuropathy (usually manifesting as numbness and tingling in the hands and feet). Of these, 37 developed symptoms, and 27 were then given acupuncture. Of the latter, 26 completed chemotherapy treatment without a significant worsening of neuropathy symptoms.

The researchers conclude acupuncture is safe and shows preliminary evidence of effectiveness in reducing the incidence of high grade peripheral neuropathy. A follow-up randomised controlled trial is needed to establish definitive efficacy for patients at risk.

(A phase IIA trial of acupuncture to reduce chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy severity during neoadjuvant or adjuvant weekly paclitaxel chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. European Journal of Cancer, September 2018.)

Two pilot studies from China suggest acupuncture can be of help in alleviating cancer pain and fatigue. In the first study, 42 patients with moderate to severe cancer pain and selected from cancer clinics in mainland China and Hong Kong, were randomised to receive acupuncture at one of three possible sets of points. Everyone received seven treatments over a two week period. All patients experienced a decrease in pain, but those in the group needled at LI-4, LV-3, PC-6, ST-36 and SP-6 reported significantly greater pain reduction than the other two groups. The authors say a future multi-centre study with a larger sample size is now warranted.

(A pilot randomized controlled trial of acupuncture at the Si Guan Xue for cancer pain. BMC Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 26 June 2017.)

In a second pilot trial, 28 patients with lung cancer and presenting with cancer-related fatigue, were randomised to receive either true or sham acupuncture twice a week for four weeks. After a fortnight, there was a significant reduction in fatigue in the group receiving true acupuncture compared with those receiving sham control. This difference had increased by week six ie a fortnight post-treatment.

(Acupuncture for cancer-related fatigue in lung cancer patients: a randomized, double blind placebo-controlled pilot trial. Support Care Cancer, 13 July 2017.)

American researchers have shown that acupuncture produces significant improvements in symptoms and quality of life scores, for patients with advanced breast and ovarian cancer. In a pilot trial, forty patients were given 12 acupuncture treatments over eight weeks, with follow-up assessment one week and four weeks after the end of the trial.

Across the 32 patients who were fully assessed at the end, there was self-reported improvement immediately after treatment, in anxiety, fatigue, pain and depression. There was also significant improvement over time in anxiety and depression. Quality of life scores of pain, life satisfaction, mood states and psychological distress, also improved during treatment, and showed sustained improvement at the four week follow-up.

(Acupuncture as Palliative Therapy for Physical Symptoms and Quality of Life for Advanced Cancer Patients. Integrative Cancer Therapies, 18 May 2010.)