Authors: Liu YQ, Sun S, Dong HJ, Zhai DX, Zhang DY, Shen W, Bai LL, Yu J, Zhou LH, Yu CQ
Chin J Integr Med 2015 Jan;
PMID: 25579196
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with ginger moxibustion against gastrointestinal tract reactions (nausea, vomiting, and constipation) to chemotherapy in cancer patients.
METHODS: A total of 60 patients with gynecological tumors treated by chemotherapy were randomly divided into two groups. The treatment group (30 cases) underwent wrist-ankle acupuncture and ginger moxibustion, whereas tropisetron hydrochloride and dexamethasone were intravenously administered to the control group (30 cases) during chemotherapy.
RESULTS: The frequency of nausea in the treatment group was significantly less than that of the control group from the 2nd to the 5th day of chemotherapy (P<0.01). The anti-emetic effect in the treatment group was significantly better than that in the control group on the 3rd day of therapy (P<0.05). The incidence rate of constipation was significantly lower in the treatment group than that in the control group (P<0.01). Furthermore, the cost of therapy for the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.01). Only 1 patient manifested a post-acupuncture side effect in the form of subcutaneous blood stasis.
CONCLUSION: Wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with ginger moxibustion could prevent gastrointestinal tract reactions to chemotherapy in cancer patients. In addition, the proposed method had fewer side effects, lower cost, and less risk.
