Acupuncture for Neoplasms: An Update from the PubMed Database

Abstract

Background: The therapeutic mainstays of cancer remain surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. However, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are often associated with serious side-effects, such as nausea and vomiting. Acupuncture has been used widely to treat disorders in clinical practice for at least 3000 years. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Statement, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting are suitable for acupuncture intervention. Objectives: The goal of this review is to analyze the applications of acupuncture for treating cancer and to look ahead at the potential advantages of acupuncture for patients with cancer. Materials and Methods: The PubMed database was searched for articles on acupuncture therapy and neoplasms. The different distributions of scientific papers were analyzed preliminarily. Results: The articles found showed that acupuncture was used to address various symptoms related to different types of cancer. Conclusions:The results of clinical trials in acupuncture have provided important clues in oncologic practice. The evidence suggests that acupuncture is a safe and effective therapy for managing cancer and treatmentrelated symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting and fatigue caused by chemotherapy. As more evidence emerges, the potential advantages of acupuncture in tumor treatment will eventually be clear.

Acupuncture in Oncology – Update 2024

“…The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recognized acupuncture's efficacy in symptom management, particularly in reducing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. By alleviating distressing symptoms and promoting relaxation, acupuncture helps patients cope more effectively with the challenges of cancer treatment, fostering resilience and well-being [1][2][3][4].…”

“…Globally, lung, breast, and colorectal cancers are most prevalent, with targeted interventions needed to reduce their impact. These efforts aim to mitigate risk factors, enhance screening, and expand access to effective treatments, ultimately improving patient outcomes worldwide [1][2][3][4].…”

The implementation of alternative therapies in cancer management

“…Η ένδειξή του περιορίζεται στην ανακούφιση των συµπτωµάτων που οφείλονται σε ανεπιθύµητες ενέργειες της συµβατικής θεραπείας, δηλαδή του χειρουργείου, της ακτινοθεραπείας, της χηµειοθεραπείας, καθώς επίσης και των αναλγητικών φαρµάκων, όπως είναι για παράδειγµα η µορφίνη. Η εφαρµογή του βελονισµού στον καρκίνο δεν έχει συνδεθεί µε κα-ΑΝΑΣΚΟΠΗΣΗ µία απολύτως σοβαρή ανεπιθύµητη ενέργεια (Wang & Litscher 2015).…”

Sino-Austrian High-Tech Acupuncture Network—Annual Report 2015

“…Gerhard Litscher from Medical University of Graz and comprises many partners from China. In the following, some milestones and publications [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ] from the year 2015 are listed chronologically:…”