Acupuncture Improves Outcome for Lung Cancer Chemotherapy.

Oncologists have been searching for years for a means to reduce the toxicity of lung cancer therapy. New research suggests that acupuncture may provide a solution. A study looking at managing side effects of Taxol, found that stimulating acupoints caused the drug to become focused in the lung tissue, where it could do the most good and less concentrated in other body tissues where the presence of the drug could elicit side effects.

The researchers note that electroacupuncture influences “tissue distribution of Paclitaxel.” Additionally, they posit that tissue distribution changes may be one of the effective action mechanisms by which acupuncture exerts its therapeutic effects during chemotherapy. They concluded, “Acupuncture at Feishu acupoint facilitated the delivery of Paclitaxel to lung more effectively than did acupuncture at Lingtai acupoint.” In addition, both acupuncture points “resulted in an obvious decrease of Paclitaxel distribution in kidney and delayed Paclitaxel distribution in liver.”