Electroacupuncture Versus Analgesics for Patients with Stage IIIB Cervical Cancer Post Cisplatin Chemotherapy

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of pain at advanced cervical cancer stages is increasing. Existing World Health Organization recommendations for management comprises a 3-step ladder of analgesic therapy but this still cannot address this pain optimally. An alternative therapy used to reduce pain, acupuncture, is almost without side-effects, is safe, and is easy to implement. This study compared electroacupuncture (EA) versus paracetamol 500 mg +10-mg codeine therapy for patients with stage-IIIB cervical cancer post cisplatin chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: Participants were divided into 2 groups (treatment and control groups). A quasiexperimental study was conducted using a nonequivalent control group pretest-post-test design. Participants in the treatment group were given EA for 30 minutes 10 times over 3 weeks, while participants in the control group were given paracetamol 3 • 500 mg and codeine 3 • 10 mg orally every day for 3 weeks. Statistical analysis used paired t-tests, a Wilcoxon test, an independent t-test, or a Mann-Whitney-U test with P < 0.05. Results: Pretest and post-test pain-scale levels were 5.39 -0.62 and 4.57 -0.88, respectively (P < 0.001).

HTR7 and its N6-methyladenosine modification: a potential target in cell cycle regulation of cervical cancer

“…About 70% to 90% of patients have ineffective cancer pain control [14], which is easy to form peripheral and/or central sensitization and can turn into intractable pain. Hence, analgesics are widely used in the comprehensive treatment of CC [15]. In this study, we were surprised to find that HTR7, a member of the 5-HT family of analgesia, had promising potential in inhibiting CC progression.…”

Efektivitas Terapi Akupunktur terhadap Penurunan Intensitas Nyeri pada Pasien dengan Nyeri Kanker

“…Temuan utama pada studi ini secara umum menunjukkan bahwa terapi akupunktur merupakan terapi yang aman dan efektif sebagai terapi komplementer dalam manajemen nyeri kanker. [8][9][10][11] Tinjauan sistematis dan meta-analisis oleh Hu, dkk. 8 menunjukkan bahwa dibandingkan dengan terapi obat konvensional, terapi akupunktur saja tidak menunjukkan efek superior pada penurunan intensitas nyeri kanker.…”

The Effect of Electroacupuncture Therapy on Pain, Plasma β-Endorphin, and Quality of Life of Stage III Cervical Cancer Patients: A Randomized Control Trial

“…Participants in this study were cervical cancer patients treated at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia. The inclusion criteria included patients diagnosed with cervical cancer clinically and stage III histopathology based on WHO categorization [11,13,16]; aged 18-65 years; pain scale > 4 based on VAS (Visual Analog Scale); and patients cooperatively took conventional pain therapy and EA according to the research schedule. Participant exclusion criteria included patients experiencing pain that was not caused by cervical cancer; pain due to chemotherapy (neuropathy); pain due to surgery; had received < 1 week of anti-pain therapy; patients with pregnancy, wounds/ tumors in the area of stabbing, blood clotting abnormalities, installation of pacemakers, extensive skin abnormalities including ear skin; patients with physical disabilities that were not possible to do acupuncture therapy; and patients had or were undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation.…”

“…Betaendorphins are secreted to blood vessels and brain fluid (CSF), and this endorphin will work directly on the pain pathway in the central nervous system and spinal cord as a neurotransmitter. This will cause analgesia and homeostatic effects on several systems, including the immune, cardiovascular, respiratory, and healing processes [12,13]. In addition, EA is also believed to reduce the symptoms caused by cancer and therapeutic side effects to improve the QoL of patients [14].…”