針灸應用於癌症照護的論述

Acupuncture Applied to Cancer Care

近二十年來，針灸對於癌症的輔助治療在國際醫學界中受到廣泛的注意及深入研究。雖然針對癌症的治療仍缺乏大型有效的證據，但臨床研究證實針灸對於化療引發的噁心、嘔吐有顯著療效。對於減低癌症疼痛、化療引起的白血球低下、疲倦和放射線治療引發的口乾等等副作用也是有幫助的。如此不但能對癌症患者有所幫助，亦可減少醫療的龐大支出。

For the past twenty years, acupuncture as an adjuvant treatment for cancers has come in for a great deal of attention and from the international medical community. At present, the evidences are not strong enough to approve the effectiveness of acupuncture for cancer treatment. However, many clinical studies showed that acupuncture can better prevent nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapeutic drugs. Acupuncture is also helpful in relieving cancer treatment side effects, such as cancer pain, neutropenia and tiredness induced by chemotherapy, and radiation-induced xerostomia. Not only can acupuncture help cancer patients, but it can lower medical care expenditures.