Moxibustion Enhances Chemotherapy of Breast Cancer by Affecting Tumor Microenvironment.

INTRODUCTION: Chemotherapeutic drugs often cause obvious toxicity and side effects. Moxibustion can improve the immunity of cancer patients, enhance cellular immunity, and reduce the toxicity and adverse effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In this study, the efficacy of moxibustion combined with paclitaxel on breast cancer was evaluated. METHODS: A breast cancer mouse model was established. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to analyze tumor necrosis in mouse tumors. Immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and qPCR were used to detect the expression of CD34, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGFA), programmed death-1 (PD-1), and programmed death-1 ligand (PD-L1) in tumor tissues. RESULTS: Moxibustion combined with paclitaxel significantly inhibited weight loss in breast cancer-burdened mice and increased the survival rate. Moxibustion combined with paclitaxel increased the number of white blood cells, thymus index, and spleen index, and enhanced immune function by upregulating interferon-gamma and interleukin-2 and downregulating interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-ß1. Notably, moxibustion combined with paclitaxel inhibited the angiogenesis of tumors through the downregulation of CD34, HIF-1α, and VEGFA, and overcame the immunosuppressive microenvironment by inhibiting the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Moxibustion improves the body's immune function and enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy by overcoming the immunosuppressive microenvironment.

[Effect and postoperative reactions of acupoint catgut embedding for prediabetes].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect and safety of acupoint catgut embedding for prediabetes. METHODS: Eighty-six patients with prediabetes were randomly assigned into an observation group and a control group, 43 cases in each one. Diabetes health education was applied in the two groups. Catgut embedding was used at bilateral Pishu (BL 20), Weiwanxiashu (EX-B 3), Ganshu (BL 18), Shenshu (BL 23), and Zusanli (ST 36) in the observation group, once every 15 days for 6 times. The type and number of postoperative reactions of the last time had been recorded since the second embedding, and the situation of the last postoperative reactions was observed 15 days after treatment. Total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2 hours postprandial blood glucose (2hPG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), empty stomach insulin (Ins) and TCM syndrome score were tested before and after treatment as well as 6 months after treatment. The clinical efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the levels of TC, TG, FPG, 2hPG, HbA1c of the observation group were lower than those before treatment and those of the control group (all P<0.05). The Ins changed little after treatment and was not significantly different from that of the control group (both P>0.05). All the above indices had no significant difference at follow-up compared with those before treatment (all P>0.05). After treatment, the TCM syndrome score in the observation group was lower than that before treatment and that in the control group (both P<0.05). The TCM syndrome score at follow-up was better than that before treatment in the observation group (P<0.05). The total effective rate of the observation group was 76.7% (33/43) after treatment, which was superior to 30.2% (13/43) of the control group (P<0.05). The rates at follow-up was 37.2% (16/43) in the observation group and was 25.6% (11/43) in the control group (P>0.05). 18 postoperative reactions occurred 168 times totally after embedding, which could be divided into 5 categories, including 75 times (44.6%) of dietary inhibition, 41 times (24.4%) of abnormal feeling, 23 times (13.7%) of local discomfort, 21 times (12.5%) of general malaise, and 8 times (4.8%) of other symptoms. The postoperative peak responses were after the second and third operations. CONCLUSIONS: 3-month catgut embedding can improve some of the indices of prediabetes, but long-term healthy living habits need to be kept. There exist various postoperative reactions after embedding without blocking the treatment.

The Effectiveness of Electroacupuncture for Functional Constipation: A Randomized, Controlled, Clinical Trial.

Background. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been reported to treat functional constipation (FC). The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of EA with different needle insertion method for FC. Methods. Sixty-seven participants were randomly assigned to control (EA with shallow puncture) and EA (with deep puncture) groups. Every patient received 5 treatments per week in the first two weeks, then 3 treatments per week during the following six weeks. Complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBM), spontaneous bowel movements (SBM), Bristol stool scores (BSS), and Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QOL) were assessed. Results. Both shallow and deep EA significantly increased CSBM frequency compared to the baseline. CSBM was increased from 0.50 ± 0.59/wk to 2.00 ± 1.67/wk with deep EA and from 0.48 ± 0.59/wk to 1.33 ± 1.09/wk with shallow EA (P < 0.05, resp.). Similar finding was noted in SBM. Deep EA was more potent than shallow EA (P < 0.05) during the treatment period. No difference was found on BSS and PAC-QOL between two groups. Conclusion. It is effective and safe with EA to treat FC. Studies with large sample size and long-term observation are needed for further investigation.