Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Supportive Care in Cancer
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer 7/2013

01-07-2013 | Review Article

Acupuncture for cancer-related fatigue: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials

Authors: Paul Posadzki, Tae-Woong Moon, Tae-Young Choi, Tae-Yong Park, Myeong Soo Lee, Edzard Ernst

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 7/2013

Login to get access

Abstract

Purpose

Managing cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is an important element of the palliative care of cancer patients. The aim of this systematic review was to critically evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture (AT) or electroacupuncture (EA) for CRF.

Methods

Fourteen databases were searched from their respective inception to November 2012. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of AT or EA for the treatment of CRF were considered for inclusion. The risk of bias/methodological quality was assessed using the method suggested by the Cochrane Collaboration.

Results

Seven RCTs met the eligibility criteria. Most were small pilot studies with serious methodological flaws. Four of the RCTs showed effectiveness of AT or AT in addition to usual care (UC) over sham AT, UC, enhanced UC, or no intervention for alleviating CRF. Three RCTs showed no effect of AT/EA over sham treatment.

Conclusion

Overall, the quantity and quality of RCTs included in the analysis were too low to draw meaningful conclusions. Even in the positive trials, it remained unclear whether the observed outcome was due to specific effects of AT/EA or nonspecific effects of care. Further research is required to investigate whether AT/EA demonstrates specific effects on CRF.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
Balk J, Day R, Rosenzweig M, Beriwal S (2009) Pilot, randomized, modified, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of acupuncture for cancer-related fatigue. J Soc Integr Oncol 7:4–11PubMed
2.
Ben-Aharon I, Gafter-Gvili A, Paul M, Leibovici L, Stemmer SM (2008) Interventions for alleviating cancer-related dyspnea: a systematic review. J Clin Oncol 26:2396–2404PubMedCrossRef
3.
Brown LF, Kroenke K (2009) Cancer-related fatigue and its associations with depression and anxiety: a systematic review. Psychosomatics 50:440–447PubMed
4.
Choi TY, Lee MS, Kim TH, Zaslawski C, Ernst E (2012) Acupuncture for the treatment of cancer pain: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials. Support Care Cancer 20:1147–1158PubMedCrossRef
5.
Deng G, Chan Y, Yeung KS, Vickers A, Cassileth B (2010) Acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced fatigue: a randomized controlled trial. J Soc Integr Oncol 8(4):171–172
6.
Donovan KA MH, Jacobsen PB. (2012) A systematic review of research using the diagnostic criteria for cancer-related fatigue. Psychooncology doi:10.​1002/​pon.​3085.
7.
Edzard E, Snyder J, Dunlop RA (2012) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine-funded randomised controlled trials of acupuncture: a systematic review. Focus Alternat Complement Ther 17:15–21
8.
9.
Ernst E, Lee MS (2010) Acupuncture for palliative and supportive cancer care: a systematic review of systematic reviews. J Pain Symptom Manage 40:e3–e5
10.
Ezzo JM, Richardson MA, Vickers A, Allen C, Dibble SL, Issell BF, Lao L, Pearl M, Ramirez G, Roscoe J, Shen J, Shivnan JC, Streitberger K, Treish I, Zhang G (2006) Acupuncture-point stimulation for chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting. Cochrane Database Syst Rev (2):CD002285
11.
Hofman M, Ryan JL, Figueroa-Moseley CD, Jean-Pierre P, Morrow GR (2007) Cancer-related fatigue: the scale of the problem. Oncologist 12(Suppl 1):4–10PubMedCrossRef
12.
Johnston MF, Hays RD, Subramanian SK, Elashoff RM, Axe EK, Li JJ, Kim I, Vargas RB, Lee J, Yang L, Hui KK (2011) Patient education integrated with acupuncture for relief of cancer-related fatigue randomized controlled feasibility study. BMC Complement Altern Med 11:49PubMedCrossRef
13.
Kuchinski AM, Reading M, Lash AA (2009) Treatment-related fatigue and exercise in patients with cancer: a systematic review. Medsurg Nurs 18:174–180PubMed
14.
Lee MS, Kim KH, Shin BC, Choi SM, Ernst E (2009) Acupuncture for treating hot flushes in men with prostate cancer: a systematic review. Support Care Cancer 17:763–770PubMedCrossRef
15.
Minton O, Stone P, Richardson A, Sharpe M, Hotopf M (2008) Drug therapy for the management of cancer related fatigue. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. (1):CD006704
16.
Molassiotis A, Bardy J, Finnegan-John J, Mackereth P, Ryder DW, Filshie J, Ream E, Richardson A (2012) Acupuncture for cancer-related fatigue in patients with breast cancer: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial. J Clin Oncol 30(36):4470-6. doi:10.​1200/​JCO.​2012.​41.​6222
17.
Molassiotis A, Sylt P, Diggins H (2007) The management of cancer-related fatigue after chemotherapy with acupuncture and acupressure: a randomised controlled trial. Complement Ther Med 15:228–237PubMedCrossRef
18.
Oh D (2009) The pilot study on the effect of SAAM acupuncture treatment for patients with cancer-related fatigue: randomized, a single-blind, controlled trial. MSc Thesis, Kyung-Hee University
19.
Oh HS, Seo WS (2011) Systematic review and meta-analysis of the correlates of cancer-related fatigue. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs/Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing 8:191–201CrossRef
20.
Richardson PG, Laubach JP, Schlossman RL, Mitsiades C, Anderson K (2010) Complications of multiple myeloma therapy, part 1: risk reduction and management of peripheral neuropathy and asthenia. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 8(Suppl 1):S4–S12PubMed
21.
Saligan LN, Kim HS (2012) A systematic review of the association between immunogenomic markers and cancer-related fatigue. Brain Behav Immun 26:830–848PubMedCrossRef
22.
Smith C, Carmady B, Thornton C, Perz J, Ussher JM (2012) The effect of acupuncture on post-cancer fatigue and well-being for women recovering from breast cancer: a pilot randomised controlled trial Acupunct Med doi:10.​1136/​acupmed-2012-010228
23.
Stone JA, Johnstone PA (2010) Mechanisms of action for acupuncture in the oncology setting. Curr Treat Options Oncol 11:118–127PubMedCrossRef
24.
Vickers AJ, Cronin AM, Maschino AC, Lewith G, Macpherson H, Foster NE, Sherman KJ, Witt CM, Linde K, Acupuncture Trialists’ Collaboration (2012) Acupuncture for chronic pain: individual patient data meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med: 172(19):1444–1453
25.
Wanchai A, Armer JM, Stewart BR (2011) Nonpharmacologic supportive strategies to promote quality of life in patients experiencing cancer-related fatigue: a systematic review. Clin J Oncol Nurs 15:203–214PubMedCrossRef
Metadata
Title
Acupuncture for cancer-related fatigue: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials
Authors
Paul Posadzki
Tae-Woong Moon
Tae-Young Choi
Tae-Yong Park
Myeong Soo Lee
Edzard Ernst
Publication date
01-07-2013
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 7/2013
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-013-1765-z

Other articles of this Issue 7/2013

Supportive Care in Cancer 7/2013 Go to the issue

Original Article

Efficacy of pain education in cancer patients

Original Article

Pancreatic cancer and supportive care—pancreatic exocrine insufficiency negatively impacts on quality of life

Original Article

The frequency, cost, and clinical outcomes of hypernatremia in patients hospitalized to a comprehensive cancer center

Original Article

Return to work after treatment for primary breast cancer over a 6-year period: results from a prospective study comparing patients with the general population

Original Article

Subjective sexual well-being and sexual behavior in young women with breast cancer

Original Article

Biomarkers of chemotherapy-induced diarrhoea: a clinical study of intestinal microbiome alterations, inflammation and circulating matrix metalloproteinases
Webinar | 19-02-2024 | 17:30 (CET)

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on antibody–drug conjugates in cancer

Watch now

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are novel agents that have shown promise across multiple tumor types. Explore the current landscape of ADCs in breast and lung cancer with our experts, and gain insights into the mechanism of action, key clinical trials data, existing challenges, and future directions.

Dr. Véronique Diéras
Prof. Fabrice Barlesi
Developed by: Springer Medicine
Image Credits