ArticleIntegrative cancer therapies
Acupuncture in Patients Undergoing Cancer Therapy: Their Interest and Belief in Acupuncture is High, But Few are Using It.
Article in Integrative cancer therapies. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Expectancy Effect of Acupuncture on Cancer-Related Outcomes: A Systematic Review.Oncology nursing forum · 2024Pooled it
- Effects of Mind-Regulation Acupuncture Therapy on Serum Ghrelin, Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide, Leptin, and Insulin Levels in Breast Cancer Survivors with Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of general medicine · 2023Trial
- A Randomized Sham-Controlled Mixed Methods Pilot Study of the Feasibility of Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathy: Lessons Learned From Patient Experiences in Integrative Cancer Care.Integrative cancer therapiesTrial
- Factors influencing acupuncture regimen completion by breast cancer patients: real-world data from an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Acupuncture for cancer symptoms: Clinical application and longitudinal impact a retrospective observational real-world data study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Observational
- Preferences for Non-Pharmacological Traditional Chinese Medicine in Cancer Care: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review.Patient preference and adherence · 2025Review
- How does pretreatment expectancy influence pain outcomes with electroacupuncture and battlefield acupuncture in cancer survivors?: Pretreatment expectancy and pain reduction by acupuncture.Integrative medicine research · 2024Article
- Effects of electroacupuncture at Baihui and Dazhui on perioperative neurocognitive impairment and S100-β, LC3-II, Beclin-1 in patients with colon cancer.American journal of translational research · 2023Article
- Design of a Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial: Strengthening Positive Treatment Expectations Using a Communication Model for Maximized Antiemetic Effects of Acupuncture and Antiemetics During Emetogenic Neo-/Adjuvant Chemotherapy.Integrative cancer therapiesArticle
- A single-item Expectancy Measure's Validity, Reliability, and Responsiveness to Detect Changes in Clinical Efficacy Studies of Integrative Cancer Therapies: A Methodology Study.Integrative cancer therapiesArticle
- Implementation of Acupuncture in Routine Oncology Care: A Comparison of Physicians', Nurses', Physiotherapists' and Acupuncturists' Practice and Beliefs.Integrative cancer therapiesArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesSince pre-existing expectations, that is, beliefs, in a treatment may modify outcomes, and acupuncture studies often fail to measure expectations, we wanted to investigate the use of acupuncture, interest, and belief in acupuncture effects among patients undergoing cancer therapy.
methodA cross-sectional design, where the participants answered a study-specific questionnaire with questions regarding their use of, interest and belief in acupuncture treatment.
resultsA total of 457 patients with cancer (48% men, mean age 65 years) answered the questionnaire. Acupuncture was used by 4 (1%) patients during their cancer therapy, and 368 (83%) expressed an interest in receiving acupuncture. Of the 457 patients, 289 (63%) believed acupuncture to be effective for at least 1 of 17 requested symptoms, most commonly pain (56% of the patients) and muscle tension (40%). They believed acupuncture to be effective for a mean value 3 of the 17 requested symptoms. Women (
conclusionsMen and older patients expressed weaker beliefs in acupuncture effects than other patients, indicating the importance of collecting expectancy data in future randomized sham-controlled acupuncture studies to be able to treat expectancy as an effect-modifier. The high interest and beliefs in acupuncture effects found also indicate that acupuncture should be available for patients with cancer, for side effects where acupuncture has shown to be effective. In a clinical setting, older men might need more encouragement regarding positive expected outcomes of the acupuncture treatment than younger women.
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Registered trials
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.