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Cancer Related Symptoms

Cancer Pain

Acupuncture shows positive evidence for alleviating cancer-related pain, as reported in a Cochrane systematic review of five randomized controlled trials (Paley 2015). Acupuncture has been found effective in relieving pain associated with malignancy and surgery. The reviewers recommend incorporating acupuncture into multimodal treatment regimens for cancer pain management (Chiu 2016 – SR of 29 RCTs). Additionally, acupuncture and moxibustion serve as effective adjunctive therapies (He 2013 – SR of 7 RCTs).

Cancer-Related Fatigue

Research indicates that acupuncture and acupressure are effective for cancer-related fatigue, with acupuncture showing more efficacy than acupressure, although the evidence quality is low (Ling 2013 – SR). Furthermore, acupuncture may help reduce fatigue following cancer treatment (Finnegan-John 2013 – SR of CAM 20 studies; 3 acupuncture/acupressure RCTs). Acupuncture combined with educational support has also shown superiority over usual care (Zeng 2014 – SR of 7 RCTs).

Cancer-Related Insomnia

Acupuncture is more effective than pharmaceuticals, or hormone therapy for managing cancer-related insomnia (Choi 2016 – SR of 6 RCTs).

Cancer-Related Psychological Symptoms

Studies consistently indicate benefits of acupuncture for alleviating depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and improving quality of life in cancer patients. There is strong evidence supporting the safety of acupuncture (Haddad 2014 – SR of 12 studies; 8 RCTs).

Chemotherapy - Induced Nausea and Vomiting

Acupuncture has been rated as "effective" for managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, according to the Australian DVA review in 2010. A systematic review conducted in 2013, which analyzed seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on acupuncture and six on acupressure, found that acupuncture reduced the frequency of acute vomiting and the need for rescue medication. Acupressure demonstrated a reduction in nausea frequency but did not affect acute vomiting or delayed symptoms. All studies included in the review utilized advanced combination anti-emetics alongside acupuncture or acupressure. An updated systematic review by Garcia et al. in 2014, which included 18 new RCTs, reaffirmed that acupuncture is a viable referral option for managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Chemotherapy - Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

In the context of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, RCT indicated that acupuncture was superior (Franconi 2013 – SR of 3 RCTs, 3 case series, 1 rat study).