Outpatient acupuncture effects on patient self-reported symptoms in oncology care: a retrospective analysis

This retrospective study analyzed the effects of outpatient acupuncture on oncology patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center during 2016. The research examined 375 unique patients who received acupuncture as part of standard care at an integrative medicine center, representing a total of 1,728 treatments. The study population had a mean age of 55.6 years; 68.3% were women and 73.9% were white/Caucasian. The most common cancer types were breast (32.8%) and thoracic/head and neck (25.9%).

The investigators used a modified Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) to evaluate 16 different symptoms on a 0-10 scale, administered before and after each acupuncture session. Treatments were performed by licensed and experienced acupuncturists using sterile stainless steel needles inserted at specific points for 20-30 minutes. The treatment protocol was individualized according to the acupuncturist's professional judgment, typically recommending two sessions weekly for 3-4 weeks. Results showed statistically and clinically significant improvements in all symptoms and subscales after a single acupuncture treatment.

The symptoms with the largest mean reduction were hot flashes (-1.93), fatigue (-1.72), tingling (-1.70), and nausea (-1.67). The global, physical, and psychological distress subscales also showed clinically significant improvements. In the longitudinal analysis, 73.3% of patients had at least one follow-up treatment, with a mean of 4.6 treatments per patient. Among patients who returned for follow-up within 30 days, statistically significant improvement was observed in all symptoms except appetite.

Spiritual pain showed both statistically and clinically significant improvement (-1.10 points). Clinical response rates exceeded 50% for symptoms such as spiritual pain (58.9%), dry mouth (57.8%), and nausea (57.3%). This study provides important real-world evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture, complementing the findings of controlled clinical trials. The improvements observed were consistent with prior literature on acupuncture in oncology, particularly for pain and nausea/vomiting.

The ability to collect patient-reported outcome data as part of standard care (>90% of encounters had pre-treatment data available) demonstrates the feasibility of integrating research into clinical practice. The results suggest that acupuncture may be a valuable tool for the nonpharmacologic management of cancer-related symptoms. Clinical implications include the potential to incorporate acupuncture as part of supportive care programs in oncology centers, especially given growing interest in nonpharmacologic approaches to symptom control. The study also provides useful information for the design of future clinical trials, including data on treatment frequency and patient response patterns.