Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23868190›Full record

SynthesisSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2013

What is the evidence for the use of acupuncture as an intervention for symptom management in cancer supportive and palliative care: an integrative overview of reviews.

P Towler, A Molassiotis, S G Brearley

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 33 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
33citing papers in PubMed, 10 pooled it
27.1field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

33 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 93 citations in OpenAlex.

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  5. Acupuncture for cancer pain in adults.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2015
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  6. Cancer-Related Fatigue, Version 2.2015.Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN · 2015
    Guideline
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  8. Systematic literature review: xerostomia in advanced cancer patients.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2015
    Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

P TowlerUniversity of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
A Molassiotis
S G Brearley
University of Manchester · GBLancaster University · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study aims to systematically appraise the evidence for the use of acupuncture for symptom management in cancer and supportive care and to identify recommendations for clinical practice and future research.

methodsA systematic search was carried out to identify reviews of the use of acupuncture in cancer supportive and palliative care, using MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, British Nursing Index, Index to Theses, Dissertations and Theses (via Proquest) and NHS evidence. Search terms included: acupuncture, cancer and symptoms. Data were extracted for analysis. Reviews were assessed for quality using a five-item checklist but were not excluded from the review on grounds of quality, in order to include a comprehensive scope of the subject.

resultsSeventeen reviews were included in the review. Evidence was found for the use of acupuncture for treatment-related nausea and vomiting. Benefit was reported for other cancer-related symptoms, including pain, fatigue, hot flushes, xerostomia, dyspnoea and anxiety. Reviewers found a paucity of rigorous trials and heterogeneity of populations, interventions, controls and outcome measures, which challenge the process of systematic review and meta-analysis.

conclusionAcupuncture should be considered for symptom management where there are limited treatment options, using current peer-reviewed guidelines and clinical reasoning. Much of the primary research reported in reviews is innovative and indicates potential benefit for people with cancer-related symptoms. The complexity of acupuncture as an intervention needs to be acknowledged in future research designs and when reviewing research findings. An iterative approach using adequate interventions, appropriate outcome measures and adherence to reporting standards is required to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture in cancer supportive and palliative care.

Indexed as

Acupuncture TherapyEvidence-Based MedicineHumansNeoplasmsPalliative Care

Identifiers

PMID23868190
OpenAlexW2076977403

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.