ACUPUNCTURE RECOMMENDATIONS IN ONCOLOGY CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINES
Author(s)
Junjie Huang, PhD1, Chenwen Zhong, PhD2, Martin Chi Sang Wong, MD3.
1The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China, 3JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong.
1The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China, 3JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to update evidence-based clinical practice guidelines(CPGs) and to systematically synthesize existing recommendations regarding the use of acupuncture in oncology care.
METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across CNKI, Wanfang, SinoMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, as well as guideline repositories including the Guidelines International Network (GIN), NICE, CMA CPGs, and national health authority platforms, to identify eligible CPGs published from 2020 to October 2025. Guidelines containing recommendations related to acupuncture for cancer or cancer-related conditions were included. Extracted recommendations were classified by clinical domain and evaluated with respect to evidence sources, grading methodologies, strength of recommendations, and types of acupuncture interventions.
RESULTS: A total of 49 guidelines met the inclusion criteria, the majority of which were published between 2021 and 2025 and originated predominantly from North America and Asia, particularly the United States and China. Overall, 91 recommendations explicitly addressed acupuncture, of which 90 were in favor and one advised against its use for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity. These recommendations mainly supported acupuncture across four domains: (1) cancer-related symptoms, including pain, fatigue, depression/anxiety, constipation, insomnia, and radiation-induced enteritis; (2) treatment-related adverse effects, such as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, peripheral neurotoxicity, and radiotherapy-induced xerostomia; (3) postoperative complications, including urinary retention and ileus; and (4) specific malignancies, including breast cancer, colorectal cancer, primary liver cancer, appendiceal tumors, and small bowel adenocarcinoma. Weak recommendations were most frequently reported(36.4%), while moderate and strong recommendations each comprised 22.7%. Reporting quality was suboptimal, with inconsistent or limited descriptions of intervention components, including procedural details, acupoint selection, comparators, and treatment parameters.
CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture is commonly recommended within oncology CPGs for symptom management; however, notable heterogeneity exists in recommendation strength, underlying evidence quality, and completeness of reporting. Future guideline development and research should employ robust methodological standards and explicitly integrate the GRADE Evidence-to-Decision framework to facilitate context-specific adaptation.
METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across CNKI, Wanfang, SinoMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, as well as guideline repositories including the Guidelines International Network (GIN), NICE, CMA CPGs, and national health authority platforms, to identify eligible CPGs published from 2020 to October 2025. Guidelines containing recommendations related to acupuncture for cancer or cancer-related conditions were included. Extracted recommendations were classified by clinical domain and evaluated with respect to evidence sources, grading methodologies, strength of recommendations, and types of acupuncture interventions.
RESULTS: A total of 49 guidelines met the inclusion criteria, the majority of which were published between 2021 and 2025 and originated predominantly from North America and Asia, particularly the United States and China. Overall, 91 recommendations explicitly addressed acupuncture, of which 90 were in favor and one advised against its use for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity. These recommendations mainly supported acupuncture across four domains: (1) cancer-related symptoms, including pain, fatigue, depression/anxiety, constipation, insomnia, and radiation-induced enteritis; (2) treatment-related adverse effects, such as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, peripheral neurotoxicity, and radiotherapy-induced xerostomia; (3) postoperative complications, including urinary retention and ileus; and (4) specific malignancies, including breast cancer, colorectal cancer, primary liver cancer, appendiceal tumors, and small bowel adenocarcinoma. Weak recommendations were most frequently reported(36.4%), while moderate and strong recommendations each comprised 22.7%. Reporting quality was suboptimal, with inconsistent or limited descriptions of intervention components, including procedural details, acupoint selection, comparators, and treatment parameters.
CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture is commonly recommended within oncology CPGs for symptom management; however, notable heterogeneity exists in recommendation strength, underlying evidence quality, and completeness of reporting. Future guideline development and research should employ robust methodological standards and explicitly integrate the GRADE Evidence-to-Decision framework to facilitate context-specific adaptation.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-09, ISPOR Asia Pacific 2026, Bangkok, Thailand
Value in Health, Volume 55, Issue S1
Code
HSD19
Topic
Health Service Delivery & Process of Care
Disease
SDC: Oncology