Moxibustion
During moxibustion, a trained practitioner burns an herb to apply heat close to the skin at specific points, which can lead to improvements in several common side effects of cancer treatments.
How can moxibustion help you? What the research says
We summarize the clinical evidence for each medical benefit here. We begin with our assessment of the strength of evidence within each category, followed by a brief summary of individual studies or reviews of several studies. In assessing the strength of evidence, we consider the study design, number of participants, and the size of the treatment effect (how much outcomes changed with treatment).
To see more details, click the plus sign to the right of any section.
Our assessments of evidence for each medical benefit fall into one of these categories:
- Strong evidence: consistent, significant effects in several large (or at least one very large) well designed clinical studies or at least two meta-analysesa statistical analysis that combines the results of two or more research studies; the results of smaller research studies addressing the same or similar questions can be analyzed as though they are one bigger, more powerful study of clinical studies of moderate or better quality (or one large meta-analysis) finding similar results
- Good evidence: significant effects in one large or several mid-sized and well-designed clinical studies ( randomized controlled trialsa study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects with an appropriate placebo or other strong comparison control or observational studies that control for confounds)
- Modest evidence: significant effects in at least three small but well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or one or more well-designed, mid-sized clinical studies of reasonably good quality (RCTs or observationala type of study in which individuals are observed or certain outcomes are measured, but no attempt is made to affect the outcome (for example, no treatment is given); an example is a study that records people’s diets, but doesn’t try to alter their diets, and looks for patterns of disease or other outcomes related to different foods studies), or several small studies aggregated into a meta-analysis
- Preliminary evidence: significant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect
- Weak evidence: one or more case studies, supported by animal evidence OR small treatment effects of limited clinical significance OR studies with no controls OR weak trends of effects
- Insufficient evidence: preclinical evidence only OR clinical studies with such poor or unclear methodology that no conclusion can be drawn OR conflicting findings across clinical studies with no preponderance of evidence in one direction; conflicting evidence occurs when studies find conflicting effects (positive effect vs no effect or negative effect) with the same treatment and the same general study population (same cancer type, for example)
Learn more about how we research and rate therapies and practices in How We Rate Therapies ›
Preclinical evidence is summarized in Are you a health professional? ›
Optimizing your body terrain
Does moxibustion promote an environment within your body that is less supportive of cancer development, growth, or spread? We present the evidence.
See Optimizing Your Body Terrain ›
Find medical professionals who specialize in managing body terrain factors: Finding Integrative Oncologists and Other Practitioners ›
We also recommend that you share with your doctor the information here about how moxibustion might affect these terrain factors if you have any imbalances.
People with cancer treated with moxibustion showed signs of increased immune activation across several studies.
Increased immune system activation is not always beneficial, so your oncology team needs to determine whether immune activation would be favorable in your situation.
Good evidencesignificant effects in one large or several mid-sized and well-designed clinical studies (randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with an appropriate placebo or other strong comparison control or observational studies that control for confounds) (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of higher markers of immune activation among people with cancer and people with other health conditions treated with moxibustion
- Higher white blood cell counts and higher levels of immune markers (CD3+ and CD4+) among people undergoing chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancer treated with moxibustion compared to no treatment in a combined analysis of 15 RCTsrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects1Yu C, Mao X, Zhou C. Influence of acupuncture and moxibustion on gastrointestinal function and adverse events in gastric cancer patients after surgery and chemotherapy: a meta-analysis. Supportive Care in Cancer. 2024 Jul 18;32(8):524.
- Higher markers of immune activation during cancer treatment among people treated with acupoint stimulation, including moxibustion, compared to controls in a meta-analysisa statistical analysis that combines the results of two or more research studies; the results of smaller research studies addressing the same or similar questions can be analyzed as though they are one bigger, more powerful study of 31 controlled trialsa study design in which people are assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatment; assignment is not random, and so this is not as strong a study design as a randomized controlled trial, but still stronger than an uncontrolled trial2Chen HY, Li SG, Cho WC, Zhang ZJ. The role of acupoint stimulation as an adjunct therapy for lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2013 Dec 17;13:362.
- Higher markers of immune activation (increased white blood cell counts and T-lymphocyte subsets) among people with COVID-19 treated with Western medicine and moxibustion once daily for 14 days compared to Western medicine alone in a small RCT3Liu L, Xing XY et al. [Effect of moxibustion on clinical symptoms, peripheral inflammatory indexes and T lymphocyte subsets in COVID-19 patients]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2020 Dec 12;40(12):1271-5. Chinese.
- Higher markers of immune activation among people treated with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and moxibustion compared to HAART alone in a mid-sized RCT4Liu Z, Deng X et al. [Moxibustion combined with highly active antiretroviral therapy for CD4+ and γ chain cytokines of HIV infected patients]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2018 Jan 12;38(1):3-6. Chinese.
- Greater regulatory effect of markers of immune function among people with ankylosing spondylitis treated with pharmaceutical treatment and moxibustion once daily for 7 consecutive days per round and a 3 day break, for 4 rounds compared to pharmaceutical treatment alone in a small RCT5Zuo Z, Liu Z, Yuan K, Wang Y, Dong K. [Effects and mechanism of the long-snake moxibustion on ankylosing spondylitis based on Th17/Treg/Th1 immune imbalance]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2018 Oct 12;38(10):1053-7. Chinese.
- A weak trendan apparent change due to a therapy, close to but not achieving full statistical significance (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently towards higher markers of immune activation (IgM, IgG, and SOD) among people with suboptimal health status treated with moxibustion once every other day for 2 months compared to medication in a small RCT6He L, Wang C et al. [Impacts of mild moxibustion on immune indices and nailfold microcirculation in the subhealthy group]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2017 Feb 12;37(2):115-119. Chinese.
People with cancer treated with moxibustion showed signs of less inflammation in one study.
Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of lower inflammation among people with colorectal cancer treated with moxibustion
- Lower markers of inflammation and less vein inflammation (phlebitis) after radical resection of colorectal cancer among people treated with conventional medication plus warm-needle moxibustion stimulation compared to conventional medication alone in a small RCTrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects7Sun H, Zhang B, Qian HH, Chen ZC. [Effect of warm-needle moxibustion intervention on immune function and intestinal flora in patients after colorectal cancer radical operation]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2021 Jul 25;46(7):592-7. Chinese.
Moxibustion with warm-needle acupuncture:
People treated with warm-needle moxibustion after colorectal cancer resection surgery showed changes in their gut microbiomes ›
Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of more intestinal Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus and less E. Coli and Enterococcus intestinal bacteria after colorectal resection surgery among people treated with warm-needle moxibustion stimulation
- Higher levels of beneficial intestinal bacteria (Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus) and lower levels of harmful bacteria (Escherichia coli and Enterococcus) after radical colorectal resection surgery among people with colorectal cancer treated with conventional medication plus warm-needle moxibustion stimulation compared to conventional medication alone in a small RCTrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects8Sun H, Zhang B, Qian HH, Chen ZC. [Effect of warm-needle moxibustion intervention on immune function and intestinal flora in patients after colorectal cancer radical operation]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2021 Jul 25;46(7):592-7. Chinese.
Preliminary evidence of higher immune activation after colorectal cancer surgery among people treated with warm-needle moxibustion (moxibustion combined with acupuncture)
- Higher markers of immune activation after radical resection of colorectal cancer among people treated with conventional medication plus warm-needle moxibustion stimulation compared to conventional medication alone in a small RCT9Sun H, Zhang B, Qian HH, Chen ZC. [Effect of warm-needle moxibustion intervention on immune function and intestinal flora in patients after colorectal cancer radical operation]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2021 Jul 25;46(7):592-7. Chinese.
Moxibustion with acupuncture:
Preliminary evidence of higher immune activation among people with non-small cell lung cancer treated with acupuncture and moxibustion
- Higher markers of immune activation (CD3+T, CD4+T, CD8+T cells and B cells) among people with non-small cell lung cancer with fatigue treated with acupuncture and moxibustion compared to conventional Chinese and Western medicine in a small RCT10Li WT, Liu YH et al. [Effects of “Tiaoyi Sanjiao” acupuncture and moxibustion on cancer-induced fatigue and immune function in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2020 Dec 25;45(12):1000-5. Chinese.
Managing side effects and promoting wellness
Is moxibustion linked to fewer or less severe side effects or symptoms? Is it linked to less toxicity from cancer treatment? Does it support your quality of life or promote general well-being? We present the evidence.
People with cancer pain showed less anxiety after being treated with acupuncture and heat-sensitive moxibustion in one study.
Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less anxiety among people with cancer pain treated with acupuncture and heat-sensitive moxibustion
- Lower anxiety scores among people with moderate to severe cancer pain treated with usual analgesic care and acupuncture and heat-sensitive moxibustion compared to usual analgesic care alone in a small RCTrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects11Ji JF, Ge XX et al. [Intradermal needling combined with heat-sensitive moxibustion for moderate to severe cancer pain]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2021 Jul 12;41(7):725-9. Chinese.
People undergoing chemotherapy who were treated with moxibustion showed higher white blood cell counts across several studies.
People undergoing chemotherapy and radiation who were treated with moxibustion showed higher serum hemoglobin across several studies.
People undergoing chemotherapy and radiation who were treated with moxibustion showed higher platelet counts compared to no additional treatment in one study, but not when compared to conventional treatment for platelets.
White blood cell counts: modest evidencesignificant effects in at least three small but well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or one or more well-designed, mid-sized clinical studies of reasonably good quality (RCTs or observational studies), or several small studies aggregated into a meta-analysis (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of higher white blood cell counts during or after conventional cancer treatment among people treated with moxibustion
- Higher white blood cell counts among people undergoing chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancer treated with moxibustion compared to no treatment in a combined analysis of 15 RCTsrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects12Yu C, Mao X, Zhou C. Influence of acupuncture and moxibustion on gastrointestinal function and adverse events in gastric cancer patients after surgery and chemotherapy: a meta-analysis. Supportive Care in Cancer. 2024 Jul 18;32(8):524.
- Higher lymphocyte (type of white blood cell or leukocyte counts) (CD3+T, CD4+T, CD8+T cells and B cells) among people with non-small cell lung cancer with fatigue treated with acupuncture and moxibustion compared to conventional Chinese and Western medicine in a small RCT13Li WT, Liu YH et al. [Effects of “Tiaoyi Sanjiao” acupuncture and moxibustion on cancer-induced fatigue and immune function in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2020 Dec 25;45(12):1000-5. Chinese.
- Higher white blood cell counts during or after chemo/radiotherapy among people with cancer treated with moxibustion compared to sham treatment in a small RCT with low-certainty evidence14Zhang HW, Lin ZX, Cheung F, Cho WC, Tang JL. Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018 Nov 13;11(11):CD010559.
- Higher white blood cell counts during or after chemo/radiotherapy among people with cancer treated with moxibustion compared to no treatment in 2 small RCTs with low-certainty evidence, but no evidence of an effectoverall, one or more studies did not demonstrate that a treatment or intervention led to an expected outcome; this does not always mean that there is no effect in clinical practice, but that the studies may have been underpowered (too few participants) or poorly designed. Larger, well-designed studies provide more confidence in making assessments. on low white blood cell counts (leukopenia) in a separate small RCT15Zhang HW, Lin ZX, Cheung F, Cho WC, Tang JL. Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018 Nov 13;11(11):CD010559.
- Maintained lymphocyte counts during chemotherapy among people with mid- to late-stage malignant tumors treated with moxibustion with or without a Chinese herbal compound, while counts dropped with the herbal preparation alone or no intervention, but comparisons among groups is not reported in a small RCT16Liu J, Yu RC, Tang WJ. [Influence of combined therapy of guben yiliu III, moxibustion and chemotherapy on immune function and blood coagulation mechanism in patients with mid-late stage malignant tumor]. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2002 Feb;22(2):104-6. Chinese.
Hemoglobin counts: modest evidence of higher serum hemoglobin during or after chemo/radiotherapy among people treated with moxibustion
- Higher serum hemoglobin during or after chemo/radiotherapy among people with cancer treated with conventional treatment and moxibustion compared to conventional treatment alone in 2 small RCTs with low-certainty evidence17Zhang HW, Lin ZX, Cheung F, Cho WC, Tang JL. Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018 Nov 13;11(11):CD010559.
- Higher serum hemoglobin concentrations during or after chemo/radiotherapy among people with cancer treated with moxibustion compared to sham treatment in a small RCT with low-certainty evidence18Zhang HW, Lin ZX, Cheung F, Cho WC, Tang JL. Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018 Nov 13;11(11):CD010559.
- Higher serum hemoglobin concentrations during or after chemo/radiotherapy among people with cancer treated with moxibustion compared to no treatment in 2 small RCTs with low-certainty evidence, but no evidence of an effect on low white blood cell counts (leukopenia) in a separate small RCT19Zhang HW, Lin ZX, Cheung F, Cho WC, Tang JL. Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018 Nov 13;11(11):CD010559.
- No change in hemoglobin among people with advanced cancer treated with moxibustion compared to usual care in a small RCT20Zhou T, Li WT, Yu JC, Jia YJ. [Impacts of moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36) on the improvements in the quality of life in patients with advanced malignant tumor]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2019 Feb 12;39(2):133-6. Chinese.
Platelet counts: preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of higher platelets during or after chemo/radiotherapy among people with cancer treated with moxibustion compared to no treatment, but no further benefit when added to conventional treatment
- No difference in platelets, during or after chemo/radiotherapy among people with cancer treated with moxibustion and conventional treatment compared to conventional treatment alone in 2 small RCTs with low-certainty evidence21Zhang HW, Lin ZX, Cheung F, Cho WC, Tang JL. Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018 Nov 13;11(11):CD010559.
- Higher platelets during or after chemo/radiotherapy among people with cancer treated with moxibustion compared to sham treatment in a small RCT with low-certainty evidence22Zhang HW, Lin ZX, Cheung F, Cho WC, Tang JL. Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018 Nov 13;11(11):CD010559.
People with advanced cancer treated with moxibustion showed less breathlessness in one study.
Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less breathlessness (dyspnea) among people with advanced cancer treated with moxibustion
- Less breathlessness among people with advanced cancer treated with moxibustion compared to usual care a small RCTrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects23Zhou T, Li WT, Yu JC, Jia YJ. [Impacts of moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36) on the improvements in the quality of life in patients with advanced malignant tumor]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2019 Feb 12;39(2):133-6. Chinese.
People with advanced cancer who were treated with moxibustion showed better appetite in one study.
Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of better appetite among people with advanced cancer treated with moxibustion
- Better appetite among people with advanced cancer treated with moxibustion compared to usual care in a small RCTrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects24Zhou T, Li WT, Yu JC, Jia YJ. [Impacts of moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36) on the improvements in the quality of life in patients with advanced malignant tumor]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2019 Feb 12;39(2):133-6. Chinese.
People with cancer who were treated with moxibustion showed less fatigue across several combined analyses of studies.
Strong evidenceconsistent, significant effects in several large (or at least one very large) well designed clinical studies or at least two meta-analyses of clinical studies of moderate or better quality (or one large meta-analysis) finding similar results (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less cancer-related fatigue among people treated with moxibustion
- Less cancer-related fatigue among people with breast cancer treated with moxibustion compared to usual care, sham moxibustion, or acupuncture in a combined analysis of 10 RCTsrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects25Bae HR, Kim EJ et al. Efficacy of moxibustion for cancer-related fatigue in patients with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Integrative Cancer Therapies. 2024 Jan-Dec;23:15347354241233226.
- Less overall cancer-related fatigue, mostly among people with severe fatigue, treated with routine care and moxibustion compared to routine care alone in a meta-analysisa statistical analysis that combines the results of two or more research studies; the results of smaller research studies addressing the same or similar questions can be analyzed as though they are one bigger, more powerful study of 7 RCTs of relatively high quality26He XR, Wang Q, Li PP. Acupuncture and moxibustion for cancer-related fatigue: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention. 2013;14(5):3067-74.
- Less cancer-related fatigue among people treated with routine care and moxibustion compared to routine care alone in a meta-analysis of 4 RCTs of low to moderate to quality27Lee S, Jerng UM et al. The effectiveness and safety of moxibustion for treating cancer-related fatigue: a systematic review and meta-analyses. Supportive Care in Cancer. 2014 May;22(5):1429-40.
- Less fatigue (lassitude) among people with advanced cancer treated with moxibustion compared to usual care in a small RCT28Zhou T, Li WT, Yu JC, Jia YJ. [Impacts of moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36) on the improvements in the quality of life in patients with advanced malignant tumor]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2019 Feb 12;39(2):133-6. Chinese.
People with cancer treated with moxibustion experienced less nausea and vomiting in many studies, plus less constipation or diarrhea in small studies.
People recovering from gastrointestinal surgery for cancer who were treated with moxibustion showed faster bowel recovery in a combined analysis of studies.
Constipation: preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less constipation among people with breast cancer treated with mild moxibustion and salt-separated moxibustion
- Lower scores for constipation among people with breast cancer treated with mild moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36), Zhongwan (CV 12), Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6) and salt-separated moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8), 15 minutes per treatment once a day for 7 days in addition to an intravenous infusion of 5 mg tropisetron hydrochloride once a day for 3 days compared to tropisetron hydrochloride alone in a small RCTrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects29Guo Q, Yao C, Guo YF, Wang M. [Clinical efficacy and action mechanism of mild moxibustion combined with salt-separated moxibustion for gastrointestinal response in breast-cancer chemotherapy patients]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2020 Jan 12;40(1):8-12. Chinese.
Diarrhea: weak evidenceone or more case studies, supported by animal evidence OR small treatment effects of limited clinical significance OR studies with no controls OR weak trends of effects (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less diarrhea during or after conventional cancer treatments among people with cancer treated with moxibustion
- Less diarrhea during or after chemo/radiotherapy among people with cancer treated with moxibustion compared to sham in a small RCT with low-certainty evidence30Zhang HW, Lin ZX, Cheung F, Cho WC, Tang JL. Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018 Nov 13;11(11):CD010559.
Nausea and vomiting: good evidencesignificant effects in one large or several mid-sized and well-designed clinical studies (randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with an appropriate placebo or other strong comparison control or observational studies that control for confounds) (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea during or after conventional cancer treatments among people with cancer treated with moxibustion
- Less nausea and vomiting among people undergoing chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancer treated with moxibustion or acupuncture compared to no treatment in a combined analysis of 15 RCTs31Yu C, Mao X, Zhou C. Influence of acupuncture and moxibustion on gastrointestinal function and adverse events in gastric cancer patients after surgery and chemotherapy: a meta-analysis. Supportive Care in Cancer. 2024 Jul 18;32(8):524.
- Less nausea and vomiting among people with breast cancer treated with mild moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36), Zhongwan (CV 12), Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6) and salt-separated moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8), 15 min per treatment once a day for 7 days in addition to an intravenous infusion of 5 mg tropisetron hydrochloride once a day for 3 days compared to tropisetron hydrochloride alone in a small RCT32Guo Q, Yao C, Guo YF, Wang M. [Clinical efficacy and action mechanism of mild moxibustion combined with salt-separated moxibustion for gastrointestinal response in breast-cancer chemotherapy patients]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2020 Jan 12;40(1):8-12. Chinese.
- Less nausea and vomiting during or after chemo/radiotherapy among people with cancer treated with conventional treatment and moxibustion compared to conventional treatment alone in a meta-analysis of 7 RCTs with low-certainty evidence33Zhang HW, Lin ZX, Cheung F, Cho WC, Tang JL. Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018 Nov 13;11(11):CD010559.
- Less nausea and vomiting during or after chemo/radiotherapy among people with cancer treated with moxibustion compared to sham in a small RCT with low-certainty evidence34Zhang HW, Lin ZX, Cheung F, Cho WC, Tang JL. Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018 Nov 13;11(11):CD010559.
Bowel motility after surgery: good evidence of faster bowel recovery after surgery among people undergoing chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancer treated with moxibustion
- Shorter time to first bowel sounds, flatus, bowel movement, and first meal after surgery among people undergoing chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancer treated with moxibustion or acupuncture compared to no treatment in a combined analysis of 15 RCTs35Yu C, Mao X, Zhou C. Influence of acupuncture and moxibustion on gastrointestinal function and adverse events in gastric cancer patients after surgery and chemotherapy: a meta-analysis. Supportive Care in Cancer. 2024 Jul 18;32(8):524.
People with breast cancer treated with moxibustion had less lymphedema in an analysis of studies.
Modest evidencesignificant effects in at least three small but well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or one or more well-designed, mid-sized clinical studies of reasonably good quality (RCTs or observational studies), or several small studies aggregated into a meta-analysis (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less lymphedema among people with breast cancer treated with moxibustion
- Less lymphedema among people with breast cancer treated with moxibustion compared to no treatment in a combined analysis of 7 RCTsrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects36Xu Y, Yu J et al. Comparison efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion therapies in breast cancer-related lymphedema: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2024 May 14;19(5):e0303513.
People with cancer who were treated with moxibustion showed less soreness in one study.
Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less soreness among people with cancer treated with moxibustion
- Less soreness among people with advanced cancer treated with moxibustion compared to usual care in a small RCTrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects37Zhou T, Li WT, Yu JC, Jia YJ. [Impacts of moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36) on the improvements in the quality of life in patients with advanced malignant tumor]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2019 Feb 12;39(2):133-6. Chinese.
People with cancer who were treated with moxibustion showed improved performance status (ability to do daily activities) across three combined analyses of studies, though the improvement may have been less than for acupuncture.
People with cancer who were treated with moxibustion showed less weakness across several studies.
Performance status: good evidencesignificant effects in one large or several mid-sized and well-designed clinical studies (randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with an appropriate placebo or other strong comparison control or observational studies that control for confounds) (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of improved performance status (ability to do daily activities) among people with cancer treated with moxibustion
- Smaller improvement in performance status among people with non-small cell lung cancer treated with moxibustion compared to acupuncture in a combined analysis of 14 RCTsrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects38Wang S, Mu C et al. Acupuncture or moxibustion adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Systematic review and network meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2023 Oct 20;102(42):e35000.
- Better performance status among among people with breast cancer treated with moxibustion compared to usual care, sham moxibustion, or acupuncture in a combined analysis of 10 RCTs39Bae HR, Kim EJ et al. Efficacy of moxibustion for cancer-related fatigue in patients with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Integrative Cancer Therapies. 2024 Jan-Dec;23:15347354241233226.
- Better quality of life among people with cancer-related pain treated with acupuncture with moxibustion compared to usual care in a combined analysis of 33 studies40Yeh ML, Liao RW et al. Acupuncture-related interventions improve chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. 2024 Aug 19;24(1):310.
Weakness: modest evidencesignificant effects in at least three small but well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or one or more well-designed, mid-sized clinical studies of reasonably good quality (RCTs or observational studies), or several small studies aggregated into a meta-analysis (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less weakness among people with cancer treated with moxibustion
- Better quality of life during or after chemo/radiotherapy among people with cancer treated with moxibustion compared to sham (1 small RCT) or when added to conventional treatment compared to conventional treatment alone (3 small RCTs) in a review of RCTs with low-certainty evidence41Zhang HW, Lin ZX, Cheung F, Cho WC, Tang JL. Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018 Nov 13;11(11):CD010559.
- Less weakness of the lumbar region and knee joint among people with advanced cancer treated with moxibustion compared to usual care in a small RCT42Zhou T, Li WT, Yu JC, Jia YJ. [Impacts of moxibustion at Zusanli (ST 36) on the improvements in the quality of life in patients with advanced malignant tumor]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2019 Feb 12;39(2):133-6. Chinese.
People who were treated with acupuncture had shorter hospital stays after colorectal cancer surgery in one study.
People with malignant pleural effusion (cancer cells in the fluid surrounding the lungs) who were treated with moxibustion in addition to chemotherapy showed fewer symptoms in one study.
People recovering from gynecological surgery for cancer who were treated with moxibustion showed less urinary retention across several studies.
Hospital stay length: preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of shorter hospital stays after surgery for colorectal cancer among people treated with acupuncture and moxibustion
- Shorter hospital stays after colon cancer surgery and during hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy among people with spleen and stomach deficiency syndrome treated with ondansetron, acupuncture, and moxibustion compared to ondansetron alone in a mid-sized RCTrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects43Gu XY, Gao ZQ, Zhang ZJ, Huang ZM, Xie XH. [Influence of warming needling technique on gastrointestinal reaction after hyperthermic intrape-ritoneal chemotherapy in patients with postoperation of colon cancer]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2020;45(4):315-319. Chinese.
Pleural effusion: preliminary evidence of better performance status and less breathlessness, coughing, and chest pain among people receiving chemotherapy for a malignant pleural effusion who also received moxibustion
- Greater improvement in performance status (ability to do daily activities), less breathlessness (dyspnea), less coughing, and less chest pain among people undergoing intrapleural chemotherapy for malignant pleural effusion who were treated with moxibustion in a small RCT44Zhou M, Yang S et al. [Clinical efficacy observation of heat-sensitive moxibustion combined with intrapleural perfusion of cisplatin in treatment of malignant pleural effusion]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2024 Nov 25;49(11):1190-1197. Chinese.
Urinary retention after surgery for cervical cancer: modest evidencesignificant effects in at least three small but well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs), or one or more well-designed, mid-sized clinical studies of reasonably good quality (RCTs or observational studies), or several small studies aggregated into a meta-analysis (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of less urinary retention among people recovering from surgery for cervical cancer treated with moxibustion
- Less urinary retention among people recovering from surgery for cervical cancer undergoing moxibustion compared to usual care in a combined analysis of 4 RCTs using moxibustion alone and 4 combining moxibustion with other acupuncture modalities45Xu H, He Y, Miao F, Fan Y, Zhang F, Wang Z, Wu Y. Acupuncture treatment of postoperative urinary retention in cervical cancer: Systematic evaluation and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2025 Feb 21;104(8):e41520.
Moxibustion combined with warm-needle acupuncture:
Preliminary evidencesignificant effects in small or poorly designed clinical studies OR conflicting results in adequate studies but a preponderance of evidence of an effect (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of lower leukopeniaan abnormally low number of white cells in the blood, leading to increased susceptibility to infection among people recovering from colorectal cancer surgery treated with warm-needle moxibustion
- Lower leukopenia after radical resection of colorectal cancer among people treated with warm-needle moxibustion stimulation and conventional medication compared to conventional medication alone in a small RCTrandomized controlled trial, a study design in which people are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group to compare the outcomes from different treatments; an RCT is considered a strong design for determining a therapy’s effects46Sun H, Zhang B, Qian HH, Chen ZC. [Effect of warm-needle moxibustion intervention on immune function and intestinal flora in patients after colorectal cancer radical operation]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2021 Jul 25;46(7):592-7. Chinese.
- Less nausea and vomiting after radical resection of colorectal cancer among people treated with conventional medication and warm-needle moxibustion stimulation compared to conventional medication alone in a small RCT47Sun H, Zhang B, Qian HH, Chen ZC. [Effect of warm-needle moxibustion intervention on immune function and intestinal flora in patients after colorectal cancer radical operation]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2021 Jul 25;46(7):592-7. Chinese.
Moxibustion combined with acupuncture:
Quality of life:
Preliminary evidence of better quality of life among people with cancer pain treated with acupuncture and moxibustion
- Better quality of life scores among people with moderate to severe cancer pain treated with acupuncture and heat-sensitive moxibustion added to usual analgesic care compared to usual analgesic care alone in a small RCT48Ji JF, Ge XX et al. [Intradermal needling combined with heat-sensitive moxibustion for moderate to severe cancer pain]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2021 Jul 12;41(7):725-9. Chinese.
Gastrointestinal symptoms:
Preliminary evidence of less chemotherapy-related nausea and constipation among people treated with acupuncture and moxibustion
- Less nausea and less constipation among people undergoing chemotherapy for gynecological cancer treated with wrist-ankle acupuncture and moxibustion in a small RCT49Liu YQ, Sun S et al. Wrist-ankle acupuncture and ginger moxibustion for preventing gastrointestinal reactions to chemotherapy: a randomized controlled trial. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine. 2015 Sep;21(9):697-702.
Preliminary evidence of less diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting after colon cancer surgery and during hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy among people treated with acupuncture and moxibustion
- Less nausea, vomiting, and abdominal distention, and diarrhea after colon cancer surgery and during hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy among people with spleen and stomach deficiency syndrome treated with ondansetron and acupuncture with moxibustion compared to ondansetron alone in a mid-sized RCT50Gu XY, Gao ZQ, Zhang ZJ, Huang ZM, Xie XH. [Influence of warming needling technique on gastrointestinal reaction after hyperthermic intrape-ritoneal chemotherapy in patients with postoperation of colon cancer]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2020;45(4):315-319. Chinese.
- Less nausea and vomiting after radical resection of colorectal cancer among people treated with conventional medication and warm-needle moxibustion stimulation compared to conventional medication alone in a small RCT51Sun H, Zhang B, Qian HH, Chen ZC. [Effect of warm-needle moxibustion intervention on immune function and intestinal flora in patients after colorectal cancer radical operation]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2021 Jul 25;46(7):592-7. Chinese.
Pain:
Preliminary evidence of less pain among people with cancer treated with acupuncture and moxibustion
- Less pain and analgesic/opioid use among people with moderate to severe cancer pain treated with usual analgesic care and acupuncture and heat-sensitive moxibustion compared to usual analgesic care alone in a small RCT52Ji JF, Ge XX et al. [Intradermal needling combined with heat-sensitive moxibustion for moderate to severe cancer pain]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2021 Jul 12;41(7):725-9. Chinese.
Keep reading about moxibustion
Authors
Ms. Hepp is a researcher and communicator who has been writing and editing educational content on varied health topics for more than 20 years. She serves as lead researcher and writer for CancerChoices and also served as the first program manager. Her graduate work in research and cognitive psychology, her master’s degree in instructional design, and her certificate in web design have all guided her in writing and presenting information for a wide variety of audiences and uses. Nancy’s service as faculty development coordinator in the Department of Family Medicine at Wright State University also provided experience in medical research, plus insights into medical education and medical care from the professional’s perspective.
Laura Pole is senior clinical consultant for CancerChoices. Laura is an oncology clinical nurse specialist who has been providing integrative oncology clinical care, navigation, consultation, and education services for over 40 years. She is the co-creator and co-coordinator of the Integrative Oncology Navigation Training at Smith Center for Healing and the Arts in Washington, DC. Laura also manages the “Media Watch Cancer News That You Can Use” listserv for Smith Center/Commonweal. In her role as a palliative care educator and consultant, Laura has served as statewide Respecting Choices Faculty for the Virginia POST (Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment) Collaborative as well as provided statewide professional education on palliative and end-of-life care for the Virginia Association for Hospices and Palliative Care.
For CancerChoices, Laura curates content and research, networks with clinical and organizational partners, brings awareness and education of integrative oncology at professional and patient conferences and programs, and translates research into information relevant to the patient experience as well as clinical practice.
Laura sees her work with CancerChoices as a perfect alignment of all her passions, knowledge and skills in integrative oncology care. She is honored to serve you.
Sophie received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Cambridge, where she studied Middle Eastern languages and the philosophy of science. She then completed a premedical post-baccalaureate at the City University of New York. Before joining CancerChoices, she worked for several years at the Cornell Center for Research on End-of-Life Care, where she helped to conduct research on terminal illness and grief. Working in end-of-life research filled her with the conviction that all patients deserve free, accessible, and scientifically accurate information about the therapies available to them. While taking classes in anthropology, she also became curious about traditional medical knowledge and philosophies. These interests led her to CancerChoices. She is delighted to be part of CancerChoices’s work creating rigorous, evidence-based treatment guides for patients and physicians.
Reviewer
Dr. Ryan served as a research associate for CancerChoices. She is a licensed and board certified naturopathic physician and acupuncturist in Oregon. Dr. Ryan is the founder of Gentle Natural Wellness, a clinic specializing in bridging classical Chinese medicine with naturopathic medicine to provide individualized, compassionate care for people in the community. A Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine and Master of Science in Oriental Medicine with honors from the National University of Natural Medicine, research in medical anthropology at the University of Hawai’i and George Mason University, language and culture programs at Obirin University (Tokyo) and Sogang University (Seoul), and studies of Chinese herbal medicine and qigong in China have provided a diverse background that has helped form a foundation for her community health and healing path.
Last update: August 27, 2025
Last full literature review: September 2021
CancerChoices provides information about integrative in cancer care, a patient-centered approach combining the best of conventional care, self care and evidence-informed complementary care in an integrated plan cancer care. We review complementaryin cancer care, complementary care involves the use of therapies intended to enhance or add to standard conventional treatments; examples include supplements, mind-body approaches such as yoga or psychosocial therapy, and acupuncture therapies and self-care lifestyle actions and behaviors that may impact cancer outcomes; examples include eating health-promoting foods, limiting alcohol, increasing physical activity, and managing stress practices to help patients and professionals explore and integrate the best combination of conventionalthe cancer care offered by conventionally trained physicians and most hospitals; examples are chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy and complementary therapies and practices for each person.
Our staff have no financial conflicts of interest to declare. We receive no funds from any manufacturers or retailers gaining financial profit by promoting or discouraging therapies mentioned on this site.
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