Wrist-ankle acupuncture and ginger moxibustion for preventing gastrointestinal reactions to chemotherapy: A randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with ginger moxibustion against gastrointestinal tract reactions (nausea, vomiting, and constipation) to chemotherapy in cancer patients. A total of 60 patients with gynecological tumors treated by chemotherapy were randomly divided into two groups. The treatment group (30 cases) underwent wrist-ankle acupuncture and ginger moxibustion, whereas tropisetron hydrochloride and dexamethasone were intravenously administered to the control group (30 cases) during chemotherapy. The frequency of nausea in the treatment group was significantly less than that of the control group from the 2nd to the 5th day of chemotherapy (P<0.01). The anti-emetic effect in the treatment group was significantly better than that in the control group on the 3rd day of therapy (P<0.05). The incidence rate of constipation was significantly lower in the treatment group than that in the control group (P<0.01). Furthermore, the cost of therapy for the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.01). Only 1 patient manifested a post-acupuncture side effect in the form of subcutaneous blood stasis. Wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with ginger moxibustion could prevent gastrointestinal tract reactions to chemotherapy in cancer patients. In addition, the proposed method had fewer side effects, lower cost, and less risk.