Acupuncture for Cancer Bone Pain

Some may envision those old flicks with voodoo dolls, but placing needles in the body - acupuncture - isn't TV, it isn't antiquated, it's being used more widely, and it might make a difference in the quality of life for those suffering with cancer pain due to bone metastases.

We have known for some time that acupuncture may help with cancer pain in general, as well as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. But we haven't known as much about its role in controlling bone pain due to metastatic cancer. Bone pain is the most common type of cancer pain, and can be difficult to control, even with our modern day medicines and procedures.

Researchers understood that we really don't have any good studies looking at the use of acupuncture for cancer bone pain, so they decided to take a look at the physiology of bone pain in cancer - that is - what happens when cancer spreads to bones that makes the body sense pain. They also looked at how acupuncture might help with this sensation. There conclusion was that acupuncture might be a useful adjunct (additional measure) for people suffering from bone pain, and that further research should be done.

Why is this important?

Many of the treatments for cancer pain come with significant side effects - constipation, confusion, nausea, difficulty urinating, respiratory depression, to name a few. Acupuncture may offer the chance to use lower doses of pain medications and avoid some of these side effects.

In 1997, the National Institute of Health issued a statement describing the safety, and documenting the effectiveness of acupuncture for several medical conditions. Despite this, studies suggest that acupuncture is underutilized to help manage the symptoms of cancer, especially in the palliative care and hospice setting.

Many cancer centers are now offering complementary alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, along with conventional treatments, and many insurance companies cover acupuncture when it is performed by an approved provider. As with any treatment, the benefits and possible risks need to be discussed carefully with your physician.

(It is important to note that the benefits from acupuncture we are talking about are related to quality of life and not survival. Acupuncture in this setting has been studied not as a treatment for cancer, but as a therapy to improve some of the symptoms related to having cancer.)

Further Reading:

• Managing Cancer Pain

Photo: A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia

_Sources:

_{Alimi, D. et al. Analgesic Effect of Auricular Acupuncture for Cancer Pain: A Randomized, Blinded, Controlled Trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2003. 21(22):4120-4126.}

_{Sagar, S. Acupuncture as an evidence-based option for symptoms control in cancer patients. Current Treatment Options in Oncology. 2008. 9(2-3):117-26.}

_{Standish, L. et al. Acupuncture is underutilized in hospice and palliative medicine. American Journal of Hospital and Palliative Care. 2008. 25(4):298-308.}

_{Lu, W. et al. The value of acupuncture in cancer care. Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America. 2008. 22(4):631-48.}

_{Paley, C. et al. Acupuncture for Cancer-induced Bone Pain?. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2010. Advance access published online March 24, 2010. doi:10.1093/ecam/neq020.}