Integrative Approaches for Cancer Pain Management.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to summarize updates on complementary therapies, including acupuncture, for managing cancer pain and assess their efficacy and evidence levels.
Results Summary
Acupuncture was identified as having a high level of evidence for efficacy in managing cancer pain, alongside other integrative therapies like biologicals and nutraceuticals. The abstract suggests that while some therapies show promise, further rigorous trials are needed to clarify their roles.
Population
Cancer patients experiencing pain.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Energy therapies, including acupuncture | increase | efficacy | cancer patients | highest level of evidence | have the highest level of evidence for efficacy | #1 |
Biologicals and nutraceuticals including overall diet and vitamin D | increase | efficacy | cancer patients | highest level of evidence | have the highest level of evidence for efficacy | #2 |
Integrative cancer pain management strategies | increase | cancer pain management | cancer patients | - | have shown promise | #3 |
Integrative cancer pain management strategies | increase | management of cancer pain | cancer patients | - | several proven effective | #4 |
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The goal of this review is to summarize updates to the broad array of complementary therapies available for cancer pain. This paper will serve as a reference for clinicians managing pain in cancer patients. RECENT FINDINGS: Patients are embracing integrative therapies in growing numbers; clinicians must be prepared to incorporate these therapies into patients' existing treatment regimens. This requires knowledge regarding risks, benefits, and potential interactions with existing cancer therapies. Integrative cancer pain management strategies have shown promise, with several proven effective for the management of cancer pain. Energy therapies, including acupuncture, and biologicals and nutraceuticals including overall diet and vitamin D, have the highest level of evidence for efficacy. The remaining therapies discussed in this chapter may be beneficial for patients on a case-by-case basis; risks and benefits of each individual therapy as described in the text must be further assessed in future rigorous trials to further clarify the role of these complementary therapies in cancer pain management.