SynthesisIntegrative cancer therapies
Efficacy and Safety of Different Acupuncture Treatments for Cancer-Related Pain: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Integrative cancer therapies. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 2 of them syntheses 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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Warming-dredging acupuncture for cancer-related pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland) · 2026Pooled it
- Hot topics and trends in acupuncture for herpes zoster from 2015 to 2025: a bibliometric and knowledge graph analysis.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Acupuncture and Acupressure for Cancer Symptom Management: an Opinion Statement Based on Preliminary Evidence Mapping.Current treatment options in oncology · 2026Review
- Utilization Pattern of Acupuncture and Its Associated Predictors for Cancer Pain in South Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study.Diseases (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Toward Methodological Clarity in Acupuncture Network Meta-Analyses: A Response to Xie et al.Integrative cancer therapiesArticle
- Moxibustion Treatment, Alongside Conventional Western and Chinese Herbal Medical Therapies, May Improve Survival in Stage-IV Pulmonary Adenocarcinomas in a Dosage-Dependent Manner: A Prospective Observational Study With Propensity Score Analysis.Integrative cancer therapiesObservational
- Comment on 'Efficacy and Safety of Different Acupuncture Treatments for Cancer-Related Pain: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis'.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
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCancer pain is a prevalent and persistent issue, and while there have been some observations of the possible benefits of acupuncture in managing cancer pain, there is still debate regarding its safety and effectiveness. This study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of different acupuncture modalities in the treatment of cancer pain through a network meta-analysis.
methodsBetween the time each database was created and June 3, 2024, eight databases were queried: PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and China Biomedicine. Randomized controlled trials investigating the use of various acupuncture and moxibustion techniques in the treatment of cancer pain were identified. Publication bias and quality of randomized controlled trials were assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and the Jadad scale, and network meta-analyses were performed using Stata 15 and R 4.3.2.
resultsWe incorporated 111 studies encompassing 9549 individuals diagnosed with cancer, examining 29 distinct therapies. Network meta-analysis showed that, compared to Usual Medicine, Acupuncture + Usual Medicine + Traditional Chinese medicine (MD = -1.83, 95% CI: -2.86 to -0.80) could reduce NRS scores, Acupuncture + Traditional Chinese medicine (OR = 30.86, 95% CI: 3.75-254.20) could improve cancer pain relief, Moxibustion + Usual Medicine (MD = 2.12, 95% CI: 0.43-3.80) could effectively improve KPS score, Acupuncture + Application of Chinese medicine (OR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.04-0.66) is associated with a lower incidence of constipation, Electro-Acupuncture + Usual Medicine (OR = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.03-0.45) shows a lower incidence of nausea and vomiting, Acupuncture + Moxibustion + Usual Medicine (OR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.09-0.90) is associated with a lower incidence of dizziness.
conclusionAcupuncture + Traditional Chinese medicine is the best intervention for different acupuncture methods in the treatment of cancer pain, and Moxibustion + Usual Medicine is the best intervention to improve the quality of life of patients.
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