Acupuncture for patients with Cancer in a Japanese palliative care team: A prospective case series study

What is it about?

A total of 83 cancer patients (mean age: 66.1) were treated with acupuncture. A significant reduction was observed in the VAS scores for pain, edema, nausea, neck/shoulder/back stiffness, and breathlessness during at least one treatment session. The percentage of patients that improved beyond the MCID was as follows: 67 % for pain, 75 % for edema, 60 % for paresthesia, 80 % for nausea, 88 % for stiffness, 38 % for malaise, and 83 % for breathlessness, based on the maximum improvement recorded per session. Japanese-style acupuncture, with relatively finer needles and gentler stimulation, has shown promise as a palliative treatment for patients with cancer, potentially offering temporary relief from pain, edema, nausea, stiffness, and breathlessness. Based on our findings, a pragmatic randomized controlled trial with an appropriate control group is recommended.

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Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash