An Evaluation on the Indication of Acupuncture Treatment for Malignant Neoplasm Pain / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

The effect of acupuncture-moxibustion treatment in the control of malignant neoplasm pain was examined in 157 (36%) of 434 cases in our clinic over a 16 year period (1966-1981).<br>In these cases, gastric cancer (36 of 157 cases 23%) was the largest in number, followed by uterine cancer, and lung cancer. Many of the patients treated also complained of mental changes such as sleeplessness or anxiety.<br>Several kinds of acupuncture and moxibustion were applied to these cases, and marked improvement was found in 14-26% of them. These treatments were more effective in the cases after radical operations than in those cases deemed inoperable due to metastasis.<br>10 cases (6%) were aggravated by acupuncture, though none were severe.<br>The side effects by acupuncture such as slight aggravation of the pain were observe in 10 cases (6%), though none were severe.