Acupuncture may relieve xerostomia symptoms in head, neck cancer patients

Twice-weekly acupuncture treatments appeared to relieve debilitating symptoms of xerostomia among patients receiving radiation treatment for head and neck cancer, according to a study published online in Head & Neck.

People with cancers of the head and neck typically receive large cumulative doses of radiation, rendering the salivary glands incapable of producing adequate saliva, said Dr. Mark S. Chambers, a professor, Department of Dental Oncology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston.

“The quality of life in patients with radiation-induced xerostomia is profoundly impaired,” said Dr. Chambers, the study’s senior author. “Symptoms can include altered taste acuity, dental decay, infections of the tissues of the mouth and difficulty with speaking, eating and swallowing. Conventional treatments have been less than optimal, providing short-term response at best.”

Patients with xerostomia also may develop nutritional deficits that can become irreversible, said M. Kay Garcia, LAc, DrPH, a clinical nurse specialist and acupuncturist in M.D. Anderson’s Integrative Medicine Program.

The researchers conducted a pilot study to determine whether acupuncture could reverse xerostomia. Acupuncture therapy is based on the ancient Chinese practice of inserting and manipulating very thin needles at precise points on the body to relieve pain or otherwise restore health. Contemporary theories about the benefits of acupuncture include the suggestion that needle manipulation stimulates natural substances that dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow to different areas of the body.

The study included 19 patients with xerostomia who had completed radiation therapy at least four weeks earlier. They received two acupuncture treatments each week for four weeks. The acupuncture points were on the ears, chin, index finger, forearm and lateral surface of the leg.

All patients were tested for salivary flow and asked to complete self-assessments and questionnaires related to their symptoms and quality of life before the first treatment, after four weeks of acupuncture and again four weeks later.

The researchers found that acupuncture produced highly statistically significant improvements in symptoms. A quality-of-life assessment conducted at weeks 5 and 8 also showed significant improvements over quality-of-life scores recorded at the outset of the study.

“In this pilot study, patients with severe xerostomia who underwent acupuncture showed improvements in physical well-being and in subjective symptoms,” Dr. Chambers said. “Although the patient population was small, the positive results are encouraging and warrant a larger trial to assess patients over a longer period of time.”