Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture and Related Techniques in the Management of Oncological Children and Adolescent Patients: A Systematic Review

Simple Summary Acupuncture is becoming a popular complementary treatment in pediatric cancer care for managing symptoms like nausea and vomiting that result from cancer treatments. This review aims to evaluate how effective and safe acupuncture and similar techniques are for children with cancer. By analyzing data from multiple studies, the authors found that acupuncture may help reduce nausea and vomiting in young cancer patients. However, there is not enough evidence to make conclusions about its effects on number of vomiting episodes, need for anti-nausea medication, or fatigue. More high-quality research is needed to confirm these benefits and ensure the safety of acupuncture for children undergoing cancer treatment.Abstract Background/Objectives: Oncology acupuncture is emerging as a complementary treatment in pediatric cancer care centers. It is valued for its potential to manage symptoms associated with cancer and treatment toxicities without increasing polypharmacy. The aim of this review is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and related techniques in alleviating symptoms of cancer treatment in pediatric oncology patients. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across nine databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, and CNKI, up to June 2023. Inclusion criteria focused on randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials involving pediatric oncology patients undergoing needle acupuncture or related techniques. Study selection and data extraction were independently performed by pairs of authors. Results were analyzed narratively, and meta-analysis was performed when possible. Results: Results suggest that acupuncture may help manage symptoms such as nausea and vomiting in pediatric oncology patients. However, the quality of evidence was generally low, and further research is required to substantiate these findings. Conclusions: Acupuncture shows promising results as a complementary treatment for reducing nausea and vomiting in pediatric oncology. However, current evidence is insufficient to draw conclusions for other outcomes, such as the number of vomiting episodes, reduction in antiemetic medication use, or fatigue. High-quality, rigorously designed studies are necessary to better understand the clinical relevance and safety of acupuncture in this vulnerable population.