SUMMARY OF THE EVIDENCE FOR ACUPUNCTURE FOR THE TREATMENT OF CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED

SIDE EFFECTS

2007-2017

Author Year Design Cancer Sample size Summary of Findings

Diagnosis
Garcia et al. 2013 Systematic Mixed 41 Studies examined the effectiveness of acupuncture in
Review Randomized treating pain, nausea, vomiting, hot-flashes, fatigue,
Controlled radiation-induced dry-mouth, anxiety, and sleep
Trials disturbances
Eleven studies showed that needle-insertion
acupuncture and electro-acupuncture combined with
prescribed antiemetic regimens, were more effective
in reducing nausea and vomiting severity and
frequency than antiemetic medications alone
Some studies showed mixed results for the treatment
of dry-mouth and hot-flashes
Acupuncture in any form was not found to be
effective in treating pain, fatigue, anxiety, or sleep
disturbances
Wu et al. 2015 Systematic Mixed 23 reviews Studies examined patients who received true
Review covering 248 acupuncture, false-acupuncture, and no acupuncture
studies Patients who underwent needle-insertion and electro-
acupuncture while taking prescribed antiemetic
medications the day of chemotherapy administration
reported fewer instances of nausea and vomiting
versus false-acupuncture or medications alone
Reduction of nausea and vomiting was seen the same
day as chemotherapy administration, but not in the
day(s) following
 Acupuncture with prescribed pain medications was
not shown to reduce pain any more than pain
medications alone
Mixed results were found regarding the use of
acupuncture as a treatment for fatigue and dry-mouth

Chao et al. 2009 Systematic Breast 26 studies Acupuncture was not shown to reduce incidence or
Review severity of hot-flashes
Acupuncture was shown to drastically decrease
incidence and severity of nausea and vomiting on the
day of chemotherapy administration
Acupuncture was shown to decrease joint pain
related to chemotherapy treatment
Mixed results were obtained regarding the
effectiveness of acupuncture in treating leukopenia
Acupuncture was not shown to be effective in
reducing pain related to cancer treatment
Mayer et al. 2000 Systematic Mixed 9 studies Needle-insertion acupuncture, electro-acupuncture,
Review and acupressure were shown to significantly decrease
nausea and vomiting on the same day as
chemotherapy administration, as compared to no
acupuncture, and to acupuncture performed at an
inactive acupuncture site
Acupuncture was not shown to have any effect on
chemotherapy-related pain
Rithirangsriroj 2015 Randomized Gynecologic 70 participants All patients were given an anti-inflammatory
et al. Controlled medication. Half of the patients studied received
Trial acupuncture thirty minutes prior to chemotherapy
administration and once per day between
administration days. The other half of the patients
received 8mg of ondansetron thirty minutes before
 administration, and 4mg twice a day on days between
administration
No difference was seen in nausea and vomiting
incidence or severity on the day of chemotherapy
administration
Patients who received acupuncture before
administration and on the day following
administration had fewer incidences and decreased
severity of nausea and vomiting in the day(s)
between administrations than those taking
ondansetron
Lau et al. 2016 Systematic Mixed 13 RCTs This review looked at needle-insertion acupuncture,
Review acupressure, and electro-acupuncture
Eight studies showed improved pain control and
faster onset of pain control with acupuncture and
pain medications, compared to pain medications
alone
Some patients reported improved appetite with
acupuncture therapy
Acupressure was shown to significantly reduce
feelings of fatigue when compared to patients who
did not undergo acupressure therapy and patients
who underwent false-acupressure therapy. In the
same study, some patients undergoing acupressure
reported improved quality of sleep