Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine Treatment in Cancer Care: A Scoping Review Focused on European Regions

Acupuncture and herbal medicine have traditionally been used in East Asia for cancer care. This study aimed to explore how acupuncture and herbal medicine in cancer treatment is used in Europe to identify the common cancer types treated, therapeutic methods applied, and patient satisfaction. This scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guideline and Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework. Literature searches were conducted using electronic databases and 2 complementary and alternative medicine-focused journals. The inclusion criteria included first author’s affiliation in Europe and use of acupuncture or herbal medicine in cancer treatment. The exclusion criteria included focusing solely on chemotherapy-related adverse effects or in vitro research. From 6,109 initial records, 6 studies met the inclusion criteria. Two studies involved acupuncture, and 4 involved herbal medicine. Breast cancer was the most frequently studied and ST36 was the most frequently used acupuncture point. Herbal medicines included mistletoe extract and Ruta graveolens. Reported outcomes included symptom relief and generally positivity, although findings varied. This scoping review identified a limited but emerging body of cancer research on the use of acupuncture and herbal medicine in Europe. Highquality clinical research is needed.