How can acupuncture help you? What the research says

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Clinical reviewer

Misha Cohen, OMD, L.Ac.

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Last update: October 2, 2026

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 ›

Acupuncture research strengths:

There have been a lot of clinically-relevant studies including hundreds of 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 and dozens of robust meta-analysesstatistical analyses that combine 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.
A lot of studies consistently show many benefits of acupuncture for managing side effects related to cancer treatment when compared to no care or usual care (for example pain, peripheral neuropathy, fatigue).

Acupuncture research weaknesses:

Many studies are small trials that fail to describe results clearly or completely, indicating a high risk of bias.¹Penati R, Vecchio R, et al. 2025. High Outcome-Reporting Bias in Randomized-Controlled Trials of Acupuncture for Cancer Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: A Systematic Review and Meta-Epidemiological Study. Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.), 32(8), 462.
Studies are hard to compare because of variations in treatment protocols (different acupoints used, session length, number of sessions, etc.).
Acupuncture is known to have a placebo effect, and it is difficult to create sufficient control comparisons. Many researchers consider comparison to usual treatment as a sufficient control while other studies compare true acupuncture to sham acupuncture (stimulation of sham points and/or shallow insertion of needles), which still may not provide an adequate comparison.²Wan R, Zheng Q, et al. 2025. Differential placebo effect of sham acupuncture for chronic pain: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 25(1), 323; Zeng D, Yan X, et al. 2022. Placebo response varies between different types of sham acupuncture: A randomized double-blind trial in neck pain patients. European journal of pain (London, England), 26(5), 1006–1020.

Improving treatment outcomes

Is acupuncture linked to improved survival? Is it linked to less cancer growth or metastasis? Does it enhance the anticancer action of other treatments or therapies? We present the evidence.

Cancer as a whole

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 increased clinic effect of conventional treatment among people with cancer treated with acupuncture

Breast cancer

Weak evidence of higher tumor response rate among people with breast cancer treated with acupuncture compared to sham acupuncture

Managing side effects and promoting wellness

Is acupuncture 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.

Anxiety

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 lower anxiety among people with cancer treated with acupoint stimulation including acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and acupressure compared to usual care

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 no difference in anxiety among people with cancer treated with acupuncture or acupressure compared to sham acupoint stimulation or massage

Blood-related side effects

Modest evidence of less therapy-induced bone marrow suppression during cancer treatment among people with lung cancer treated with acupuncture

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 better white blood cell counts after radical resection of colorectal cancer among people treated with warm-needle acupuncture and moxibustion

Body composition and cachexia

Modest evidence of improved body composition and reduced weight loss among people with cancer undergoing chemotherapy treated with acupuncture or electroacupuncture compared to sham acupuncture or conventional drug therapy

Weak evidence of no effect on nutrition markers or protein mass among people with cancer undergoing chemotherapy treated with acupuncture compared to sham acupuncture

Breathlessness

Modest evidence of less breathlessness among people with advanced diseases including cancer treated with acupuncture

Changes in appetite

Modest evidence of better appetite and reduced anorexia among people with cancer treated with acupuncture

Cognitive difficulties

Weak evidence of better cognitive function among people with cancer treated with acupuncture compared to usual care or sham acupuncture

Depression or mood disturbance

Good evidence of less depression among people with cancer treated with acupoint stimulation including acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and acupressure compared to usual care

Modest evidence of no difference among people with cancer treated with acupuncture or acupressure compared to sham acupoint stimulation or massage

Modest evidence of no difference in mood distress among people with breast cancer treated with acupuncture

Fatigue

Good evidence of less fatigue among people with cancer treated with acupuncture compared to usual care or waitlist controls

Weak evidence of less fatigue among people with cancer treated with acupuncture compared to sham acupuncture

Hot flashes

Weak, and significantly conflicting, evidence of lower frequency and severity of hot flashes among people with breast cancer and among men with prostate cancer treated with acupuncture compared to controls

Modest evidence of no difference in frequency and severity of hot flashes among people with breast cancer treated with acupuncture compared to sham or placebo acupuncture

Lymphedema

Good evidence of reduced symptoms related to the build-up of lymph fluid in the body (lymphedema) among people with breast cancer treated with acupuncture compared to standard treatments

Reduced edema, arm swelling, and increased shoulder joint mobility among people with breast cancer treated with acupoint therapies including moxibustion, electroacupuncture, and acupoint massage combined with conventional rehabilitation compared to people treated with conventional rehabilitation 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 27 low quality 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 effects⁵⁹Zhang D, Zhao X, et al. 2025. Effect of eight different acupuncture and moxibustion therapies on breast cancer-related lymphedema: a Bayesian network meta-analysis. Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 33(10), 850.
Reduced swelling, arm circumference, and pain associated with the build-up of lymph fluid in the body (lymphedema) among people with breast cancer treated with acupuncture and/or moxibustion compared to people treated with usual care, functional exercises, or oral medicine in a meta-analysis of 18 low to medium quality RCTs⁶⁰Xu Y, Yu J, et al. 2024. Comparison efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion therapies in breast cancer-related lymphedema: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. PloS one, 19(5), e0303513.
Reduced arm circumference, improved range of motion, and reduced pain associated with the build-up of lymph fluid in the body (lymphoedema) among people with breast cancer treated with acupuncture compared to people treated with comprehensive decongestive therapy (CDT) in a meta-analysis of 14 RCTs⁶¹Yang R, Zhang YX, et al. 2024. Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment for breast cancer-related lymphoedem: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. 针灸治疗乳腺癌淋巴水肿的系统评价和Meta分析. Zhen ci yan jiu = Acupuncture research, 49(7), 715–725.
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 of less breast cancer-related lymphedema swelling among people treated with acupuncture compared to controls in a review of reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analysis⁶²Marchica P, D’Arpa S et al. Integrated treatment of breast cancer-related lymphedema: a descriptive review of the state of the art. Anticancer Research. 2021 Jul;41(7):3233-3246.
Higher effective treatment rate for lymphedema but no significant improvements in front flexion or back extension among people with breast cancer-related lymphedema treated with acupuncture compared to controls in a meta-analysis of 8 RCTs of low quality⁶³Yu S, Zhu L, Xie P, Jiang S, Yang Z, He J, Ren Y. Effects of acupuncture on breast cancer-related lymphoedema: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Explore (NY). 2020 Mar-Apr;16(2):97-102.
No change in arm circumference among people with breast cancer-related lymphedema treated with acupuncture compared to controls in a meta-analysis of 2 RCTs of medium to high quality⁶⁴Chien TJ, Liu CY, Fang CJ. The effect of acupuncture in breast cancer-related lymphoedema (BCRL): a systematic review and meta-analysis. Integrative Cancer Therapies. 2019 Jan-Dec;18:1534735419866910.

Nausea and vomiting

Good evidence for reduced nausea and vomiting among people with cancer treated with acupuncture or electroacupuncture compared to usual care

Weak, with some conflicting, evidence for no difference in nausea and/or vomiting among people with cancer treated with acupuncture, electroacupuncture, or auricular acupuncture compared to sham acupuncture

Neurological symptoms

Good evidence of fewer symptoms and pain related to peripheral neuropathy among people with cancer treated with acupuncture compared to controls

Oral symptoms

Modest evidence of reduced oral mucositis and dry-mouth symptoms, reduced pain, and increased salivary flow among people with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy treated with acupuncture methods compared to usual care

Weak evidence of no effect on oral mucositis or dry-mouth symptoms among people with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy treated with acupuncture methods compared to sham acupuncture

Reduced incidence of oral mucositis, reduced duration of ulcers, and reduced pain among people with cancer undergoing radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy treated with acupuncture therapies including auricular acupuncture, electroacupuncture, fire acupuncture, and moxibustion compared to people treated with standard care 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 11 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 effects⁸⁴Ji L, Han L, & Sharma A. 2025. Efficacy of acupuncture in managing radiotherapy/chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 33(10), 873.
Increased salivary flow and reduced dry-mouth symptoms among people with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy treated with acupuncture compared to people treated with sham or placebo acupuncture or usual care in a meta-analysis of 11 low to medium quality RCTs⁸⁵Tsai RY, Lin SY, et al. 2025. Efficacy of Acupuncture in Managing Radiation-Induced Xerostomia: An Updated Meta-Analysis. International journal of medical sciences, 22(11), 2802–2815.
Reduced dry mouth symptoms among people with cancer undergoing radiation therapy treated with acupuncture compared to people treated with usual care but no improvement compared to sham acupuncture in a meta-analysis of 6 RCTs⁸⁶Gu W, Dong H, et al. 2025. Is Acupuncture an Effective Treatment for Radiation-Induced Xerostomia of Patients with Head and Neck Cancer? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of integrative and complementary medicine, 31(5), 431–444.
Less relief of symptoms of dry mouth among people with head and neck cancer treated with acupuncture compared to cholinergic agonists in a meta-analysis of 8 intervention trials⁸⁷Lovelace TL, Fox NF, Sood AJ, Nguyen SA, Day TA. Management of radiotherapy-induced salivary hypofunction and consequent xerostomia in patients with oral or head and neck cancer: meta-analysis and literature review. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology. 2014 May;117(5):595-607.
A very small increase in unstimulated whole saliva and stimulated whole saliva, but no evidence of an effect on symptoms, and also more adverse effects (mild and temporary tiny bruises and tiredness) among people with dry mouth treated with acupuncture compared to controls in a meta-analysis of 9 RCTs of low quality⁸⁸Furness S, Bryan G, McMillan R, Worthington HV. Interventions for the management of dry mouth: non-pharmacological interventions. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2013 Aug 30;(8):CD009603.
Insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about effects on dry mouth in a systematic review of 10 RCTs of low quality⁸⁹Assy Z, Brand HS. A systematic review of the effects of acupuncture on xerostomia and hyposalivation. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2018 Feb 13;18(1):57.

Other gastrointestinal symptoms

See Nausea and vomiting above

Good evidence of lower incidence of diarrhea and constipation among people with cancer treated with acupuncture compared to usual care

Good evidence of improved rate of recovery in gastrointestinal function after surgery among people with gastric cancer treated with acupuncture or electroacupuncture compared to usual care

Weak evidence of improved rate of recovery after surgery among people with gastric cancer treated with acupuncture compared to sham or placebo acupuncture

Weak evidence of no difference in long-term functional outcomes after surgery among people with gastric cancer treated with acupuncture or electroacupuncture

Pain

Good evidence of reduced cancer-related pain among across different cancer types treated with various acupuncture methods including electroacupuncture and acupressure compared to controls, including sham acupuncture

Modest evidence of reduced joint pain caused by aromatase inhibitors among people with breast cancer treated with acupuncture compared to controls

Modest evidence of reduced pain after surgery among people with breast cancer treated with acupuncture compared to controls

Weak evidence of reduced pain after surgery among people with gynecological cancer treated with acupuncture during surgery

Weak evidence of no difference in pain after surgery among people with colorectal cancer treated with acupuncture or electroacupuncture compared to controls

Quality of life and physical function

Good evidence of improved quality of life among people with cancer, including advanced cancer, treated with acupuncture compared to usual care

Weak evidence of no difference in quality of life among people in remission treated with acupuncture

Sexual difficulties

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 fewer urogenital symptoms among people with breast cancer with climacteric-like symptoms treated with acupuncture

Sleep disruption

Modest, with some conflicting, evidence of improvements to some measures of sleep quality among people with cancer treated with acupoint therapies, and especially acupressure, compared to usual care and/or estazolam

Weak, with substantially conflicting, evidence of reduced severity and frequency of insomnia among people with cancer treated with various acupoint therapies compared to usual care

Modest evidence of no difference in sleep quality measures or insomnia measures among people with cancer treated with acupuncture compared to sham or placebo acupuncture

Stress

Weak evidence of less stress without regard to treatment phase among people with cancer treated with acupuncture

No evidence of additional benefit to massage therapy for stress during autologous tissue breast reconstruction among people treated with acupuncture in a preliminary study

Urinary symptoms

Good evidence of faster recovery, improved bladder control, and reduced urinary tract issues after surgery among people with cervical cancer and prostate cancer treated with acupuncture techniques compared to usual care

Improved recovery and incontinence-related quality of life after radical prostatectomy among people with prostate cancer treated with acupuncture techniques including electroacupuncture, auricular acupuncture, and moxibustion compared to people treated with usual care 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 17 medium quality 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 effects¹⁷⁷Tang Y, Cai Y, et al. 2026. Comparative efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of postprostatectomy urinary incontinence: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Medicine, 105(3), e44085.
Shortened recovery time and improved bladder control and retention after surgery among people with cervical cancer treated with various acupuncture treatments including electroacupuncture compared to people treated with conventional therapy alone in a meta-analysis of 31 low quality RCTs¹⁷⁸Xu H, He Y, et al. 2025. Acupuncture treatment of postoperative urinary retention in cervical cancer: Systematic evaluation and meta-analysis. Medicine, 104(8), e41520.
Improved recovery of urinary retention, faster rate of healing, reduced occurrence of urinary tract infections, and shorter duration of catheterization after surgery among people with cervical cancer treated with electroacupuncture compared to people treated with usual care or no intervention in a meta-analysis of 20 low to medium quality RCTs¹⁷⁹Tan J, Gong R, et al. 2023. Meta-analysis of clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture versus conventional treatment for postoperative urinary retention in cervical cancer. Medicine, 102(43), e35580.

Other side effects and symptoms

Weak evidence of less ringing in ears (tinnitus) among people with breast cancer during or after chemotherapy

Acupuncture combined with other therapies

Modest evidence of less breast cancer-related lymphedema among people treated with acupuncture combined with drugs or functional exercise

Weak evidence of less pain among people with myeloma treated with acupuncture combined with methylcobalamin

Weak evidence of Shorter hospital stays after open or laparoscopic resection for colorectal cancer among people treated with simo decoction and acupuncture

Less breast cancer-related lymphedema among people treated with acupuncture combined with drugs or functional exercise compared with 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 13 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 effects of low quality¹⁸¹Hou W, Pei L et al. Acupuncture therapy for breast cancer-related lymphedema: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research. 2019 Dec;45(12):2307-2317.
Less pain among people with myeloma treated with acupuncture combined with methylcobalamin (a B vitamin) compared to methylcobalamin alone in a mid-sized RCT¹⁸²Han X, Wang L et al. Acupuncture combined with methylcobalamin for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in patients with multiple myeloma. BMC Cancer. 2017 Jan 9;17(1):40.
Shorter hospital stays after open or laparoscopic resection for colorectal cancer among people treated with simo decoction (a traditional Chinese medicine) and acupuncture for 5 consecutive days following surgery compared to chewing gum or no intervention in a mid-sized RCT¹⁸³Yang Y, Zuo HQ et al. Comparison of efficacy of simo decoction and acupuncture or chewing gum alone on postoperative ileus in colorectal cancer resection: a randomized trial. Scientific Reports. 2017 Jan 19;7:37826.
Lower depression among people with symptoms of depression receiving no drug or psychotherapy treatment after an intervention of mindfulness meditation, Reiki, acupuncture, and auriculotherapy, but not following no intervention, compared to baseline in a small randomized trial¹⁸⁴Cardozo-Batista L, Tucci AM. Effectiveness of an alternative intervention in the treatment of depressive symptoms. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2020 Nov 1;276:562-569.

Optimizing your body terrain

Does acupuncture 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 ›

Hormone imbalance

Changes in hormone levels seen in the studies here may not be beneficial in every situation. Your oncology team needs to determine whether any changes would be favorable for your condition.

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 improved hormonal indicators including luteinizing hormone, follicle-producing hormone, fasting glucose, and insulin among people with polycystic ovarian syndrome treated with acupuncture compared to usual care

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 better hormone balance during chemotherapy among people with gastrointestinal cancer treated with acupuncture

Immune function

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, with some conflicting, 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 increased immune function markers including CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, tumor necrosis factor, and natural killer cells among people with cancer treated with acupuncture compared to controls

Modest evidence of lower CD8+ levels among people with cancer treated with acupuncture

Inflammation

Insufficient evidencepreclinical 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) (this is the CancerChoices definition; other researchers and studies may define this differently) of effects on inflammation among people with cancer-related depression taking sertraline hydrochloride after 6 weeks of acupuncture without regard to treatment phase

Weak evidence of a higher marker of inflammatory response during chemotherapy among people with cachexia treated with acupuncture

Weak evidence of no effect on inflammation during hormone therapy among people treated with acupuncture in a combined analysis of studies of moderate quality

Weak evidence of lower inflammation after radical resection of colorectal cancer among people treated with warm needle acupuncture and moxibustion

Some lower and some increased markers of inflammation among people with cancer-related depression taking sertraline hydrochloride after 6 weeks of Tiadu Jieyu acupuncture compared to sertraline 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 effects¹⁹⁵Lian JL, Wu XM, Sun X, Wang YJ, Li YH. [Effect of Tiaodu Jieyu acupuncture on cancer-related depression: a randomized controlled trial]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2021 Apr 12;41(4):381-5. Chinese.
A higher marker of a proinflammatory signaling cytokine (TNF-α) among people with gastrointestinal cancer with cachexia undergoing chemotherapy treated with 8 weekly sessions of targeted acupuncture compared to modified sham (nontargeted) acupuncture in a small RCT;¹⁹⁶Grundmann O, Yoon SL, Williams JJ, Gordan L, George TJ Jr. Augmentation of cancer cachexia components with targeted acupuncture in patients with gastrointestinal cancers: a randomized controlled pilot study. Integrative Cancer Therapies. 2019 Jan-Dec;18:1534735418823269. elevated levels of circulating TNF-α are linked to cachexia associated with terminal cancer, but it may also contribute to killing cancer cells
No change in a marker of inflammation during hormone therapy among people with breast cancer treated with acupuncture compared to control or placebo 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 20 RCTs of moderate quality¹⁹⁷Yuanqing P, Yong T et al. Acupuncture for hormone therapy-related side effects in breast cancer patients: a grade-assessed systematic review and updated meta-analysis. Integrative Cancer Therapies. 2020 Jan-Dec;19:1534735420940394.
Comparable improvements in a marker of inflammation among postmenopausal women with early stage breast cancer experiencing aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal symptoms treated with either acupuncture or sham in a small RCT¹⁹⁸Bao T, Cai L et al. A dual-center randomized controlled double blind trial assessing the effect of acupuncture in reducing musculoskeletal symptoms in breast cancer patients taking aromatase inhibitors. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. 2013 Feb;138(1):167-74.
Lower markers of inflammation and less vein inflammation (phlebitis) among people who underwent radical resection of colorectal cancer with subsequent use of conventional medication plus warm-needle acupuncture moxibustion stimulation compared to conventional medication alone in a small RCT¹⁹⁹Sun 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.

Oxidation

Weak evidence of less disruption to antioxidanta molecule that can cause a free radical molecule to stabilize and become less reactive; an antioxidant can reduce harmful oxidation from free radicals levels during general anesthesia for radical surgery among people with intestinal cancer treated with acupuncture

Your microbiome

Weak evidence of better intestinal bacteria after colorectal resection surgery among people with colorectal cancer treated with warm needle acupuncture and moxibustion

← Back to the full Acupuncture therapy guide

References[+]

1	Penati R, Vecchio R, et al. 2025. High Outcome-Reporting Bias in Randomized-Controlled Trials of Acupuncture for Cancer Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: A Systematic Review and Meta-Epidemiological Study. Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.), 32(8), 462.
2	Wan R, Zheng Q, et al. 2025. Differential placebo effect of sham acupuncture for chronic pain: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 25(1), 323; Zeng D, Yan X, et al. 2022. Placebo response varies between different types of sham acupuncture: A randomized double-blind trial in neck pain patients. European journal of pain (London, England), 26(5), 1006–1020.
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