Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Acupuncture for xerostomia: clinical update.

Peter A S Johnstone1, Richard C Niemtzow, Robert H Riffenburgh

  • 1Radiation Oncology Service, Naval Medical Center, San Diego, California 92134-1014, USA. pajohnstone@nmcsd.navy.mil

Cancer
|March 29, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Acupuncture effectively palliates xerostomia (dry mouth) in many cancer patients post-radiation therapy. This study shows significant symptom improvement, even for cases resistant to conventional treatments like pilocarpine.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

CLO26-095: Surgical Outcomes and Extrapolation to Subsequent Quality of Life (QOL) for Partial Penectomy and Glansectomy for Penile SCC (PSCC).

Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN·2026
Same author

European Association of Urology and American Society of Clinical Oncology Guidelines on Penile Cancer: A Summary of the 2026 Guidelines Update.

European urology·2026
Same author

CLO26-095: Surgical Outcomes and Extrapolation to Subsequent Quality of Life (QOL) for Partial Penectomy and Glansectomy for Penile SCC (PSCC).

Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN·2026
Same author

Heterogeneity of study endpoints in stereotactic body radiation therapy studies for bone metastases: A systematic review.

Journal of radiosurgery and SBRT·2025
Same author

Neoadjuvant prostate artery embolization prior to prostate radiation therapy: A single institution experience on the durability of clinical urinary improvement after radiation.

Clinical and translational radiation oncology·2025
Same author

Outcomes of PeIN at the surgical margin: insights from an organ-sparing penile cancer database.

World journal of urology·2025

Area of Science:

  • Integrative Oncology
  • Palliative Care
  • Traditional Chinese Medicine

Background:

  • Xerostomia is a common side effect of radiation therapy for head and neck malignancies.
  • Pilocarpine is a conventional treatment, but some patients experience refractory symptoms.
  • Acupuncture has been explored as an alternative or complementary therapy for symptom palliation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of a refined acupuncture technique in palliating xerostomia in patients post-radiation therapy.
  • To assess the degree and duration of symptom relief provided by acupuncture.

Main Methods:

  • A standardized acupuncture protocol involving ear and hand acupoints was applied.
  • Patients received a median of 5 treatments, with follow-up up to 455 days.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Symptom severity was measured using the Xerostomia Inventory (XI).

    • Main Results:

    • 70% of patients (35/50) experienced a 10% or greater improvement in xerostomia symptoms.
    • 48% of patients (24/50) reported a significant benefit of 10 points or more on the XI.
    • Symptom relief exceeding 3 months was observed in 26% of patients (13/50).

    Conclusions:

    • Acupuncture provides significant palliation for xerostomia in many patients treated with radiation therapy.
    • A recommended treatment regimen includes initial weekly sessions followed by monthly maintenance.
    • Some patients achieve sustained relief without ongoing acupuncture sessions.