Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
Acupuncture was found to be 93.2 effective!
Standard western treatment was only 65.2% effective!
| Condition/Study | No. | Design | Test Group | Control Group | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xia et al., 1984 (237) | 49:20 | Randomised controlled trial |
Acupuncture during radiotherapy |
Radiotherapy | Acupuncture greatly lessened digestive and nervous system reactions (anorexia, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and fatigue) due to radiotherapy and showed protection against damage to haematopoiesis. |
| Chen et al., 1996 (232) | 44:23 | Randomised controlled trial |
Manual plus electric acupuncture |
Western medication (metoclopramide, etc.) |
Gastrointestinal reactions were cured in significantly more of the acupuncture group: • 93.2% of test group after 5.8 ± 2.7 days of treatment • 65.2% of control group after 9.4 ± 3.4 days of treatment. |
| Liu et al., 1998 (235) | 40:40 | Group comparison | Magnetic plus electric acupoint stimulation |
Western medication (metoclopramide, etc.) |
Acupoint stimulation therapy was comparable with intravenous metoclopramide for gastrointestinal reactions, and with dexamethasone and cysteine phenylacetate (leucogen) for leukopenia. The treatment was effective in: • 87.5% of the test group • 75.0% of the control group. |
| Wang et al., 1997 (236) |
90 | Randomised crossover study |
Body acupuncture (manual) |
Western medication (metoclopramide, etc.) |
The treatment was effective in: • 85.6% of the test group • 61.1% of the control group. |