Patients with advanced incurable cancer appear to benefit from incorporating acupuncture in their treatment. Twenty patients receiving palliative care were randomised to receive weekly acupuncture or nurse-led supportive care for four weeks. Total symptom scores were reduced by an average of 22% after each acupuncture visit and by 14% after each supportive care visit. Compared with baseline, symptom scores at the end of the six-week follow-up period were reduced by 19% for the acupuncture arm and 26% for nurse-led supportive care. (Is there a role for acupuncture in the symptom management of patients receiving palliative care for cancer? A pilot study of 20 patients comparing acupuncture with nurse-led supportive care. Acupunct Med. 2011 Jun 11. [Epub ahead of print]).
Categories: Cancer