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An Overview of Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Cancer Care

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Acupuncture and Moxibustion as an Evidence-based Therapy for Cancer

Part of the book series: Evidence-based Anticancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine ((ACAM,volume 3))

Abstract

Acupuncture and moxibustion are frequently used in palliative and supportive cancer care. Many clinical trials have been conducted, and their results have been evaluated in numerous systematic reviews (SRs). The objective of this chapter is to provide an overview of these SRs. Fourteen databases were searched from their inception through November 2011. Study selection, data extraction, and validations were performed independently by two reviewers. The quality of SRs was assessed using The Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire. We identified 14 relevant SRs: 11 SRs relating to acupuncture, 2 SRs relating to acupressure and 1 SR related to moxibustion met our inclusion criteria. The adverse events observed among cancer patients included hot flashes, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), leucopenia, xerostomia and pain. The indications supported by reasonably good evidence were CINV and cancer pain. This chapter concluded that CINV and cancer pain are the only indications for acupuncture, acupressure or moxibustion currently supported by concrete evidence. Future studies should be of high quality with a particular emphasis on designing adequate control interventions.

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Acknowledgment

MSL and TYC were supported by the KIOM (K11111 and C12080).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 461-24, Jeonmin-dong, Yuseong-gu, 305-811, Daejeon, South Korea

    Tae-Young Choi & Myeong Soo Lee

  2. Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK

    Edzard Ernst

Authors
  1. Tae-Young Choi
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  2. Myeong Soo Lee
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  3. Edzard Ernst
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Myeong Soo Lee .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gascoigne Road 30, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR

    William C.S. Cho

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Choi, TY., Lee, M.S., Ernst, E. (2012). An Overview of Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Cancer Care. In: Cho, W. (eds) Acupuncture and Moxibustion as an Evidence-based Therapy for Cancer. Evidence-based Anticancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4833-0_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4833-0_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-007-4832-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-4833-0

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