Acupuncture boosts immunity in cancer patients

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Acupuncture boosts immunity in cancer patients

Segunda, 03.11.2014

Study conducted in two hospitals of Porto revealed that acupuncture has beneficial effects in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, including the improvement of the immune system, reduction of chemotherapy side effects, improving the psychoemotional state as well as improving the patients' quality of life.

 

Authors and Affiliations:

Irene Pais,1 Nuno Correia,1,2 Isabel Pimentel,3 Maria José Teles,4,5 Esmeralda Neves,6 Júlia Vasconcelos,6 Judite Guimarães,6 Nancy Azevedo,6 António Moreira Pinto,7 Jorge Machado,1,8 Thomas Efferth,9 and Henry J. Greten1,10

1Instituto Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira No. 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
2Service of Emergency, Internal Medicine, Hospital Center of S. João, Oporto, Portugal
3Service of Oncology, Hospital Center of S. João, Oporto, Portugal
4Service of Clinical Pathology, Hospital Center of S. João, Oporto, Portugal
5ISPUP-EPI Unit, Institute of Public Health, University of Oporto, Portugal
6Service of Clinical Pathology, Porto Hospital Center, Oporto, Portugal
7Department of Oncology, Hospital Center of Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho, Portugal
8Oporto Biomechanics Laboratory, Portugal
9Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University, Germany
10Heidelberg School of Chinese Medicine, Germany

 

Abstract:

Chemotherapy is one of most significant therapeutic approaches to cancer. Immune system functional state is considered a major prognostic and predictive impact on the success of chemotherapy and it has an important role on patients’ psychoemotional state and quality of life. In Chinese medicine, chemotherapy is understood as “toxic cold” that may induce a progressive hypofunctional state of immune system, thus compromising the fast recovery of immunity during chemotherapy. In this study, we performed a standardized acupuncture and moxibustion protocol to enhance immunity in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and to assess if the improvement of immunity status correlates with a better psychoemotional state and quality of life.

 

Journal: Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

 

Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/217397