The effects of P6 acupressure in the prophylaxis of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients

Antiemetic research: future directions

“…There is strong evidence that electroacupuncture can significantly improve chemotherapy related nausea/vomiting [12] and that use of acupressure wristbands can have a protective effect in chemotherapy-induced [12,28] and radiotherapy-induced nausea/vomiting [39], although the acupressure results are mixed and their role as single antiemetic interventions in low/minimally emetogenic chemotherapy is unclear. Other potential useful non-pharmacological interventions include hypnosis, dietary management or distraction (particularly in children) that have shown promise, but more concrete evidence from randomised trials is necessary.…”

Informed Consent: Advising Patients and Parents About Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapies

“…42 In addition, of 4 recent randomized controlled trials not included in this meta-analysis, the results of 3 of them favored acupuncture-point stimulation, 43,44 and 1 of them found it ineffective. 45 The adverse events reported in randomized controlled trials of acupuncture have been mild and short-lived, 42 and the occurrence of adverse events from properly performed acupuncture is considered rare [46][47][48][49] ; the risk of a "serious side effects from acupuncture therapy when performed by a licensed acupuncturist are 1:10 000 to 1:100 000 -about the same risk as a serious adverse event from taking penicillin." 50 Weiger et al 51 have suggested that patients who seek acupuncture for CINV be advised that the option is acceptable and that doctors consider recommending acupuncture as an option from the outset.…”

The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of acupressure for the control and management of chemotherapy-related acute and delayed nausea: Assessment of Nausea in Chemotherapy Research (ANCHoR), a randomised controlled trial

“…In our pilot study (Molassiotis et al, 2007a), the mean score for nausea experience averaged over 5 days was 2. , where it has taken us 6 months to recruit 102 patients and retain 65% over the four cycles of chemotherapy. Based on similar recruitment levels at each of the 9 sites listed above, we estimate that recruitment will be completed in 16 months, with a further 3 months required to complete the follow up of the final patients.…”

“…We have carried out a two-arm pilot study of 36 breast cancer patients using acupressure wristbands (Sea Band) (Molassiotis et al, 2007a). The current application is based on methods tested in this pilot study.…”

“…This has involved the assessment of the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for the management of CINV including progressive muscle relaxation training and imagery techniques (Molassiotis et al, 2002a); pilot testing of acupressure (Molassiotis et al, 2007a); identification of risk factors for CINV development such as age, gender and anxiety (Molassiotis et al, 2002b); the management of anticipatory nausea and vomiting , the development of international clinical guidelines for managing CINV (Roila et al, 2006) and radiation-induced nausea and vomiting (Maranzano et al, 2006); exploration and further clarification of the concept of chemotherapy-induced nausea as a separate entity from vomiting (Molassiotis et al, 2008a), the assessment of CINV levels in current clinical practice in the UK (Molassiotis et al, 2008b) and the development of a CINV relevant clinical scale for the assessment of acute and delayed symptoms (Molassiotis et at, 2007b). The latter is the only chemotherapy-specific scale available to date.…”