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Infrared laser moxibustion safely, effectively treats cancer-related fatigue
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Infrared laser moxibustion safely and effectively improved cancer-related fatigue in patients in China, according to a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Cancer-related fatigue is the most common and devastating symptom experienced by patients with cancer; however, few interventions exist. Consequently, researchers have been seeking alternative treatments.
“Infrared laser moxibustion represents a novel noninvasive and painless technology that provides self-regulation within treatment parameters,” Huijuan Mao, MD, PhD, from the Acupuncture and Tuina College at the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and colleagues wrote. “Recent research has indicated that the specific wavelengths of infrared radiation produced by moxibustion are as potent as generated thermal radiation.”
The researchers randomly assigned 78 patients (mean age, 59.4 years) with cancer-related fatigue 1:1 to receive 10.6 µm of infrared laser moxibustion or sham laser moxibustion. Patents had lung (treatment, 23.1%; sham, 20.5%), breast (treatment, 25.6%; sham, 15.4%), colorectal (treatment, 15.4%; sham, 20.5%), gastric/liver/esophageal (treatment, 23.1%; sham, 15.4%), ovarian/endometrial/cervical (treatment, 10.3%; sham, 20.5%) or other (thymic/pharyngeal/bladder; treatment, 2.6%, sham, 7.7%) tumors. Fifty patients were actively undergoing cancer treatment and 28 patients were in the survivorship phase after curative treatment.
Patients received 20 minutes of treatment with SX10-C1 laser moxibustion devices (Shanghai Wonderful Opto-Electrics Tech Co) three times per week for 4 weeks. Lasers were aligned with the ST36 (bilateral), CV4 and CV6 acupoints and irradiated 2 cm away from the skin surface. Both treatments appeared identical; however, in the sham group, the laser source was cut off.
Researchers assessed fatigue using the Chinese version of the Brief Fatigue Inventory, where scores of 1 to 3 indicate mild fatigue, 4 to 6 indicate moderate fatigue, and 7 to 10 indicate severe fatigue.
At baseline, the fatigue score was 4.67 ± 1.18 in the treatment group and 5.03 ± 1.4 in the sham group.
Patients who received infrared laser moxibustion treatment demonstrated lower fatigue scores by week 2 (3.80 ± 1.16 vs. 4.70 ± 1.45; P = .044), week 4 (3.01 ± 0.99 vs. 4.40 ± 1.41; P = .002) and week 8 (3.03 ± 1.28 vs. 4.26 ± 1.49; P = .006) compared with patients in the sham arm.
The researchers observed no serious adverse events. Localized erythema occurred in three patients and resolved within 3 days.
The researchers acknowledged the study was limited by its small sample size, short follow-up period and 20% dropout rate.
“Larger studies with long-term follow-up in more racially/ethnically diverse populations are needed to confirm the benefit of this noninvasive technique for the treatment of fatigue in patients with cancer,” Mao and colleagues wrote. “Future research also needs to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the clinical effects of infrared laser moxibustion for cancer-related fatigue.” – by Kristie L. Kahl
Disclosures: Mao reported no relevant financial disclosures. Please see study for a full list of the researchers’ financial disclosures.
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