Abstract
Radiation-induced xerostomia (RIX) is a common, often debilitating, adverse effect of radiation therapy among patients with head and neck cancer. Quality of life can be severely affected, and current treatments have limited benefit. To determine if acupuncture can prevent RIX in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiation therapy. This 2-center, phase 3, randomized clinical trial compared a standard care control (SCC) with true acupuncture (TA) and sham acupuncture (SA) among patients with oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal carcinoma who were undergoing radiation therapy in comprehensive cancer centers in the United States and China. Patients were enrolled between December 16, 2011, and July 7, 2015. Final follow-up was August 15, 2016. Analyses were conducted February 1 through 28, 2019. Either TA or SA using a validated acupuncture placebo device was performed 3 times per week during a 6- to 7-week course of radiation therapy. The primary end point was RIX, as determined by the Xerostomia Questionnaire in which a higher score indicates worse RIX, for combined institutions 1 year after radiation therapy ended. Secondary outcomes included incidence of clinically significant xerostomia (score >30), salivary flow, quality of life, salivary constituents, and role of baseline expectancy related to acupuncture on outcomes. Of 399 patients randomized, 339 were included in the final analysis (mean [SD] age, 51.3 [11.7] years; age range, 21-79 years; 258 [77.6%] men), including 112 patients in the TA group, 115 patients in the SA group, and 112 patients in the SCC group. For the primary aim, the adjusted least square mean (SD) xerostomia score in the TA group (26.6 [17.7]) was significantly lower than in the SCC group (34.8 [18.7]) (P = .001; effect size = -0.44) and marginally lower but not statistically significant different from the SA group (31.3 [18.6]) (P = .06; effect size = -0.26). Incidence of clinically significant xerostomia 1 year after radiation therapy ended followed a similar pattern, with 38 patients in the TA group (34.6%), 54 patients in the SA group (47.8%), and 60 patients in the SCC group (55.1%) experiencing clinically significant xerostomia (P = .009). Post hoc comparisons revealed a significant difference between the TA and SCC groups at both institutions, but TA was significantly different from SA only at Fudan University Cancer Center, Shanghai, China (estimated difference [SE]: TA vs SCC, -9.9 [2.5]; P < .001; SA vs SCC, -1.7 [2.5]; P = .50; TA vs SA, -8.2 [2.5]; P = .001), and SA was significantly different from SCC only at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (estimated difference [SE]: TA vs SCC, -8.1 [3.4]; P = .016; SA vs SCC, -10.5 [3.3]; P = .002; TA vs SA, 2.4 [3.2]; P = .45). This randomized clinical trial found that TA resulted in significantly fewer and less severe RIX symptoms 1 year after treatment vs SCC. However, further studies are needed to confirm clinical relevance and generalizability of this finding and to evaluate inconsistencies in response to sham acupuncture between patients in the United States and China. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01266044.
Highlights
Salivary glands are markedly sensitive to radiation therapy, and damage is generally irreversible at doses higher than 50 Gy.[1]
Post hoc comparisons revealed a significant difference between the true acupuncture (TA) and standard care control (SCC) groups at both institutions, but TA was significantly different from sham acupuncture (SA) only at Fudan University Cancer Center, Shanghai, China, and SA was significantly different from SCC only at the University of Texas MD Anderson
This randomized clinical trial found that TA resulted in significantly fewer and less severe radiation-induced xerostomia (RIX) symptoms 1 year after treatment vs SCC
Summary
Salivary glands are markedly sensitive to radiation therapy, and damage is generally irreversible at doses higher than 50 Gy (to convert to rad, multiply by 100).[1]. The biological mechanisms by which acupuncture treatment affects xerostomia are not well understood, but in 1993, a study by Blom et al[9] suggested that tissues surrounding the parotid glands experienced a significant increase in local blood flux after acupuncture. Several small studies have since shown acupuncture may reduce xerostomia symptoms.[10,11,12,13] One study by Blom and Lundeberg[14] found that in some patients, as few as 5 acupuncture treatments were associated with symptom relief for up to 3 years. Two pilot randomized clinical trials from our group[12,15] reported that acupuncture could prevent RIX when given concurrently with radiation therapy
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
