Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture‐Moxibustion Therapy on Chemotherapy‐Induced Leukopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

Abstract

Background. Acupuncture-moxibustion therapy (AMT), as an integral part of complementary and alternative medicine, has been used for centuries in treatment of numerous diseases. Nevertheless, there is no available supportive evidence on the efficacy and safety of acupuncture-moxibustion therapy in patients with chemotherapy-induced leukopenia (CIL). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture-moxibustion therapy in treating chemotherapy-induced leukopenia. Methods. Relevant studies were searched in nine databases up to September 19, 2020. Two reviewers independently screened the studies for eligibility, extracted data, and assessed the methodological quality of selected studies. Meta-analysis of the pooled mean difference (MD) and risk ratio (RR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results. 17 studies (1206 patients) were included, and the overall quality of the included studies was moderate. In comparison with medical therapy, AMT has a better clinical efficacy for CIL (RR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.17-1.32; P < 0.00001 ) and presents advantages in increasing leukocyte count (MD, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.67–1.53; P < 0.00001 ). Also, the statistical results show that AMT performs better in improving the CIL patients’ Karnofsky performance score (MD, 5.92; 95% CI, 3.03–8.81; P < 0.00001 ). Conclusion. This systematic review and meta-analysis provides updated evidence that AMT is a safe and effective alternative for the patients who suffered from CIL.

Exploring the Effectiveness of Ajwain Cream in Treating Taxane-induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Cancer Patients: A Pilot, Randomised and Double-blind Clinical Trial

“…Although recent systematic studies have shown relatively good effectiveness for such treatments, limitations such as the unknown active substance, heterogeneity in the treatment protocol and demographic indicators, lack of blinding, and the low number of participants in these studies should be taken into account. [ 23 - 26 ]…”

Acupuncture improves immunity and fatigue after chemotherapy in breast cancer patients by inhibiting the Leptin/AMPK signaling pathway

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Clinical Efficacy and Potential Mechanisms of Acupoint Stimulation Combined With Chemotherapy in Combating Cancer: A Review and Prospects

“…More high-quality clinical studies are required to confirm the clinical value of acupoint stimulation. To date, several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have indicated that the use of acupuncture in the management of CIPN ( 78 ), CINV ( 79 ), and chemotherapy-induced leukopenia ( 80 ) is safe and effective. However, there are few clinical studies on the effects of acupoint stimulation on chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression and immunosuppression nor on tumor growth.…”