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Adding Acupuncture to Touch/Relaxation for Pain in Wartime: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Eran Ben-Arye¹, Jan Vagedes², Sameer Kassem³

¹Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine (E.B.A., S.K., O.L., V.Z., O.G.), Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel; Integrative Oncology Program, The Oncology Service (E.B.A., O.G.), Lin, Carmel, and Zebulun Medical centers, Clalit Health Services, Haifa, Israel.

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

|December 11, 2025

Summary

Integrative oncology (IO) interventions reduced cancer pain in a war zone, with no added benefit from acupuncture. Heart rate variability changes indicated improved parasympathetic activity, suggesting reduced sympathetic tone.

Keywords:

Integrative oncology acupuncture cancer heart rate variability integrative medicine

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Area of Science:

Oncology
Integrative Medicine
Psychoneuroimmunology

Background:

Cancer patients in war zones experience significant quality of life (QoL) challenges.
Autonomic nervous system responses are critical indicators of stress and well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate an integrative oncology (IO) intervention for pain and autonomic response in cancer patients living in a war zone.
To compare the effects of manual relaxation with acupuncture versus manual relaxation alone.

Main Methods:

A prospective, randomized, controlled, pragmatic study involving 125 cancer patients.
Intervention groups received manual relaxation with (Group A) or without (Group B) acupuncture.
Quality of life was assessed using ESAS, EORTC QLQ-C30, and MYCAW; heart rate variability (HRV) was measured.

Main Results:

Both groups showed significant improvements in pain, anxiety, depression, and fatigue.
Group B (no acupuncture) reported greater improvements in pain at three weeks.
Acupuncture (Group A) led to greater changes in HRV, indicating reduced sympathetic tone.

Conclusions:

Integrative oncology interventions effectively reduced pain in cancer patients in a war zone.
Acupuncture did not provide an additive benefit for pain relief but influenced autonomic response.
The findings suggest IO interventions enhance parasympathetic activity and reduce sympathetic tone.