Two cases of prolonged acute nausea induced by chemotherapy for lung cancer and effectively treated with acupuncture and moxibustion
10.3777/jjsam.61.68
- VernacularTitle:肺癌の化学療法に伴う急性嘔気の遷延に対する鍼灸治療の２症例
- Author:
Tasuku YAMAZAKI
;
Fumihiko FUKUDA
;
Tarou TAKEDA
;
Naoto ISHIZAKI
;
Yoshiharu YAMAMURA
;
Kenji NAMURA
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
acupuncture and moxibustion;
chemotherapy;
anti-emetics;
acute nausea;
complementary medicine
- From:Journal of the Japan Society of Acupuncture and Moxibustion
2011;61(1):68-76
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
[Objective]Acupuncture has been described to be effective for acute vomiting induced by anti-cancer drugs of chemotherapy. However, the effect of acupuncture for the prolonged acute nausea that continues more than 24 hours from its onset after chemotherapy has not been satisfactorily investigated. In the present study, we report two cases of prolonged acute nausea induced by chemotherapy and effectively treated with acupuncture and moxibustion.
[Case 1] 79-year-old male who had diagnosed as early adenocarcinoma of the lung had chemotherapy by anticancer drug under hospitalization after right lower lung lobectomy. In spite of administration of anti-emetic agents, he complained of mild but persistent nausea that developed within 24 hours after chemotherapy and continued more than 24 hours from onset. Acupuncture at PC6 (Neiguwan) and ST25 (Tianshu) with moxibustion at CV12 (Zhongwan) and ST25 (Tianshu) were performed in addition to anti-emetics.
[Case 2] 64-year-old female who had undergone radiation therapy by gamma knife for metastatic brain tumors of adenocarcinoma of the lung had chemotherapy by anti-cancer drug under hospitalization. Since administration of anti-emetics during the first period of chemotherapy was less effective, moxibustion at ST25 and CV12 in addition to anti-emetics was performed during the second period of chemotherapy.
[Results]In both cases, the prolonged acute nausea was improved showing significant decrease in the VAS immediately after the treatment of acupuncture.
[Discussion]Severe nausea and vomiting might have been suppressed by anti-emetic agents, but mild acute nausea was prolonged and persisted. Prolonged acute nausea caused poor appetite and deterioration of Quality of Life (QOL) of patients in two cases.
Acupuncture with moxibustion and moxibustion could improve prolonged acute nausea and its related symptoms. These results of acupuncture with moxibustion and moxibustion suggest that acupuncture and moxibustion are useful treatment for prolonged acute nausea induced by chemotherapy and can be applied as complementary medicine to patients receiving anti-cancer chemotherapy.
