Oncology Acupuncture for Chronic Pain in Cancer Survivors: A Reflection on the American Society of Clinical Oncology Chronic Pain Guideline

Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2018 Jun;32(3):519-533. doi: 10.1016/j.hoc.2018.01.009.

Abstract

Chronic pain syndromes associated with cancer treatment are common but difficult to manage. The American Society of Clinical Oncology recently published a practice guideline to address the unmet needs of cancer survivors, Management of Chronic Pain in Survivors of Adult Cancers, which stresses the importance of implementing integrative therapies including acupuncture. This review focuses on randomized clinical trials of acupuncture for chronic pain in cancer survivors, including its use in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, aromatase inhibitor-associated arthralgia, and post neck dissection pain, and provides future directions of oncology acupuncture research in cancer survivorship. The features of oncology acupuncture are also discussed.

Keywords: ASCO practice guideline; Cancer survivors; Chronic pain; Oncology acupuncture.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acupuncture Analgesia / methods*
  • Cancer Survivors*
  • Chronic Pain* / etiology
  • Chronic Pain* / pathology
  • Chronic Pain* / physiopathology
  • Chronic Pain* / therapy
  • Humans
  • Medical Oncology
  • Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Neoplasms* / physiopathology
  • Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Societies, Medical
  • United States