NIH Study on Acupuncture and Chemotherapy
induced nausea
Acupuncture
has been found to be effective in reducing chemotherapy-induced
acute emesis according to a number of studies and a recent report
by the NIH consensus conference on acupuncture held in 1997.
Acupuncture and electroacupuncture at the P6 point in the wrist
area and the St 36 point in the m. tibialis anterior have been
widely used for treatment in chemotherapy-induced acute nausea
and emesis research studies. While acute chemotherapy-induced
emesis and nausea can be effectively treated with contemporary
anti-emetic regimens, delayed nausea, defined as nausea occurring
between 24 hours and up to 5 days after completion of chemotherapy
, continue to be a management challenge.
Patients diagnosed with pediatric sarcomas can be successfully
treated using a comprehensive treatment approach including highly
emetogenic multi-agent chemotherapy. Delayed nausea frequently
is managed by recurrent administration of high dose corticosteroids,
resulting in undesirable side effects including weight gain,
growth retardation and increased risk for infections. Recurrent
or delayed nausea, in addition to its negative effect on Quality
of Life (QOL), may constitute a state of stress for the affected
patient that may contribute to recognized endocrine, metabolic
and immunologic sequelae of chronic stress that are emerging
from research in cancer survivors. Mechanisms of activity of
acupuncture in the treatment of emesis and nausea have not been
clearly identified.
This study hypothesizes that electroacupuncture may be effective
in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced delayed nausea in patients
with pediatric sarcomas, resulting in improved management of
delayed nausea and emesis and improvement of QOL. It also aims
at identifying potential underlying mechanisms of action such
as reduction of a state of stress with its negative effects
on the neuro-endocrine-immune system and QOL.
