Can Acupuncture Help Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting? What 38 Randomized Trials Found

Understanding the evidence for acupuncture as an addition to standard anti-nausea treatment.

Acupuncture may provide additional help with chemotherapy-related vomiting when used alongside standard anti-nausea medication. A review of 38 randomized trials involving 2,503 patients found potential benefits for controlling vomiting both within the first 24 hours and during the following days.

The benefit was clearer for vomiting than for nausea. Confidence in the findings remains very low, so acupuncture should be considered an additional supportive option while prescribed antiemetic treatment continues.

Key Takeaways

• Adding acupuncture to usual care showed potential benefits for acute and delayed vomiting.

• A clear benefit for nausea was not established.

• Acupuncture should complement prescribed antiemetic treatment.

• Earlier breast cancer guideline discussions provide historical context; the 2018 ASCO endorsement is archived.

What Did the Review Find?

Acupuncture for the Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis evaluated acupuncture compared with usual care or sham treatment.

In some pooled analyses, adding acupuncture to usual care increased the likelihood of complete vomiting control compared with usual care alone. Other review outcomes did not show clear benefits.

These results support considering adjunctive care, but do not establish that acupuncture is superior to modern antiemetic regimens.

What Is the Difference Between Acute and Delayed Symptoms?

In this review, the acute phase covered the first 24 hours after chemotherapy. The delayed phase covered 24–120 hours.

Nausea—the feeling of needing to vomit—and vomiting are separate outcomes. Improvement in vomiting does not automatically mean nausea improves to the same extent.

How Does This Fit With Earlier Guideline Discussions?

The 2017 Society for Integrative Oncology guideline, Clinical Practice Guidelines on the Evidence-Based Use of Integrative Therapies During and After Breast Cancer Treatment, discussed acupuncture and acupressure for chemotherapy-related symptoms in breast cancer care.

The subsequent Integrative Therapies During and After Breast Cancer Treatment: ASCO Endorsement of the SIO Clinical Practice Guideline, published in 2018, is now archived and included here only as historical context.

That endorsement also expressed caution about the strength of the evidence. It should not be presented as current standalone ASCO guidance.

Can Acupuncture Replace Anti-Nausea Medication?

No. This article considers acupuncture as additional supportive care.

Continue your prescribed antiemetic medication and discuss acupuncture with your oncology team before treatment. Decisions about cancer treatment and medication should remain with that team.

What Should You Discuss Before Starting Acupuncture?

Bring your chemotherapy schedule, medication list, current symptoms, and any instructions provided by your cancer care team.

It can help to describe when symptoms occur and what you most want to address. The aim is to establish a coordinated plan with clear expectations and a way to review your experience.

Our Perspective

For patients seeking additional support during chemotherapy, acupuncture may be worth discussing as part of coordinated symptom care.

Our focus is on understanding your priorities while keeping your oncology team’s treatment plan central.

For a broader overview, visit Cancer Supportive Care. If pain is also part of your experience, explore our separate Cancer Pain research article.

Interested in Acupuncture During Chemotherapy?

Contact Balance Art Acupuncture in Vienna, Virginia, to discuss supportive care options in coordination with your oncology team.

Balance Art Acupuncture is located in Vienna, Virginia, and welcomes patients from Reston, Tysons Corner, McLean, Fairfax, Falls Church, Arlington, Great Falls and Chantilly in Northern Virginia, as well as Potomac and Bethesda in Maryland, Washington, DC, and surrounding communities.

Explore our acupuncture services in Vienna, VA.

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