Discussion
fatigue, cancer, cancer pain, pain, insomnia
ADVERSE EVENTS, CANCER, ADVANCED CANCER, ADVERSE EFFECTS, SECONDARY
In this randomized clinical trial comparing acupuncture and massage, both therapies were associated with pain reduction and improved fatigue, insomnia, and quality of life over 26 weeks; however, there were no significant differences for pain or secondary outcomes. More than half of the participants had a clinically meaningful response to treatment. Both therapies were delivered safely during the COVID-19 pandemic with only mild adverse events. The findings contribute to current guidelines for cancer pain management by demonstrating the long-term comparative effectiveness of 2 nonpharmacologic therapies in the growing population of patients living with advanced cancer.The durable effects of acupuncture observed in this study are consistent with findings from other large randomized clinical trials of acupuncture for pain in the general populationPast oncology massage research has demonstrated short-term benefits for pain, mood, and quality of lifeIn patients with advanced cancer, pharmacotherapy is often the mainstay of pain management. However, polypharmacy is a growing concern in this population due to adverse effects and drug-drug interactions.Both acupuncture and massage are popular integrative medicine approaches that are increasingly available in both academic and community cancer centers.