Acupuncture relieves cancer chemotherapy fatigue

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Acupuncture relieves cancer chemotherapy fatigue

14:59 20 December 2007

NewScientist.com news service

Danny Penman

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13104-acupuncture-relieves-

cancer-chemotherapy-fatigue.html

Acupuncture could help relieve the crippling fatigue associated with

chemotherapy treatment in cancer patients. That is the conclusion of

scientists at the University of Manchester, UK, who say their

preliminary results are so promising that further research needs to

be carried out to study the effect in more detail.

Crippling and long-lasting fatigue is one the most common side-

effects of chemotherapy. The new work indicates that acupuncture can

boost energy levels and radically improve a patient's quality of life.

Numerous trials have shown that acupuncture appears to work for a

variety of conditions. Last year, two studies demonstrated that

acupuncture may help boost fertility after IVF, although a third

study failed to demonstrate an effect. The US National Institutes of

Health says that acupuncture is an effective treatment for nausea

caused by anaesthesia and cancer chemotherapy, as well as dental pain

following surgery.

In the latest study, 47 patients suffering from moderate to severe

fatigue were enrolled in a randomised placebo-controlled trial at

Manchester's Christie Hospital. The patients were randomly assigned

to one of three groups to receive either acupuncture or acupressure –

placing physical pressure on acupuncture points with hands or

objects – or sham acupressure.

Quality of life

" People felt better and had more energy after the acupuncture, " says

Molassiotis, professor of cancer and supportive care at the

University of Manchester who led the work.

" Patients had the energy to walk to the shops and to socialise, so

their quality of life improved significantly, " he says.

The acupuncture group received six 20-minute sessions spread over

three weeks. During these sessions the characteristic thin needles

were inserted about 2 centimetres into the patients' body at three

points. The points were selected for their supposed propensity to

boost energy levels and reduce fatigue.

Patients in the acupressure group were taught to massage the same

acupuncture points for one minute a day for two weeks. The sham

acupressure group was taught the same technique, but told to massage

different points on the body not associated with energy and fatigue.

Patients in the acupuncture group reported a 36% improvement in

fatigue levels, whilst those in the acupressure group improved by

19%. Those in the sham acupressure group reported a 0.6% improvement.

Needle mystery

Molassiotis says that the improvements were not down to the placebo

effect. " Our trial was able to take this into account, " he says. But

he says a bigger trial is needed to properly characterise the effect

and is planning one in the near future.

Nobody is sure how acupuncture actually works, but researchers have

previously suggested that it might reduce fatigue by stimulating the

body to release endorphins – morphine-like chemicals that block pain

signals and induce a feeling of well-being.

Kat Arney, of Cancer Research UK, welcomes the new findings but is

more cautious about their significance.

" This was a very small study and bigger randomised controlled trials

are needed before we know for sure if acupuncture or acupressure is

effective at relieving some of the side effects of cancer therapy, "

she says.

Journal reference: Complementary Therapies in Medicine (DOI:

10.1016/j.ctim.2006.09.009)

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Carruthers

Wakefield, UK