Cancer

Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, and is responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018. Globally, about 1 in 6 deaths is due to cancer. (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer)

Chinese medicine has been used as a complementary therapy to reduce nausea and vomiting and to reduce cancer related pain:

  1. Studies are ongoing but there is clinical evidence that Acupuncture can be used as a complementary therapy when nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy are not well controlled (Cassileth BR, et al. American College of Chest Physicians. Chest 2007;132(3 Suppl):340S–354S.

Other studies:

Ling Ma (2009) Acupuncture as a Complementary Therapy in Chemotherapy-
Induced Nausea and Vomiting, Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, 22:2, 138-141, DOI:
10.1080/08998280.2009.11928494
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/08998280.2009.11928494

National Institutes of Health. Acupuncture. Consensus Development Conference
Statement, November 3–5, 1997. Available at http://consensus.nih.

  1. There is clinical evidence to indicate it can be used to reduce cancer related pain (https://www.evidencebasedacupuncture.org/acupuncture-cancer-pain/)

Pain in cancer patients and survivors is very common and can be caused by the cancer itself invading organs, soft tissues (nerves and blood vessels) or bones, or the treatments for cancer, which include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormones and surgery. (https://www.evidencebasedacupuncture.org/acupuncture-cancer-pain/)

Moderate to severe pain is experienced by 40% of individuals with early or intermediate stage cancer and 90% of individuals with advanced cancer. Up to 70% of all patients with cancer pain do not receive adequate pain relief, diminishing their quality of life in terms of both physical and psychological well-being. (Paley, C.A., Johnson, M.I., Tashani, O.A. and Bagnall, A.M., 2011. Acupuncture for cancer pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 1(10).)

Full references:

Cassileth BR, Deng GE, Gomez JE, Johnstone PA, Kumar N, Vickers
AJ; American College of Chest Physicians. Complementary therapies
and integrative oncology in lung cancer: ACCP evidence-based clinical
practice guidelines (2nd edition). Chest 2007;132(3 Suppl):340S–354S.

Acupuncture Evidence Project(McDonald J, and Janz S 2017