Effects of Acupuncture on Leucopenia, Neutropenia, NK, and B Cells in Cancer Patients: A Randomized Pilot Study. (24th July 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pais, Irene; Correia, Nuno; Pimentel, Isabel; Teles, Maria José; Neves, Esmeralda; Vasconcelos, Júlia; Guimarães, Judite; Azevedo, Nancy; Moreira Pinto, António; Machado, Jorge; Efferth, Thomas; Greten, Henry J.
• Other Names: Yamaguchi Nobuo Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. Volume 2014(2014)
• Publication Date: 2014-07-24
• Subjects: Alternative medicine -- Periodicals; 615.505
• DOI: 10.1155/2014/217397
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1741-427X

Abstract

Abstract : Chemotherapy is one of most significant therapeutic approaches to cancer. Immune system functional state is considered a major prognostic and predictive impact on the success of chemotherapy and it has an important role on patients' psychoemotional state and quality of life. In Chinese medicine, chemotherapy is understood as "toxic cold" that may induce a progressive hypofunctional state of immune system, thus compromising the fast recovery of immunity during chemotherapy. In this study, we performed a standardized acupuncture and moxibustion protocol to enhance immunity in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and to assess if the improvement of immunity status correlates with a better psychoemotional state and quality of life.