Reference Citation(s)	Animal Model	Endpoints Measured	No. of Animals: Total; Evaluable; Treated; Control	Strongest Benefit Reportedb
[1]	Mice with S180 sarcoma tumors	Erythrocyte levels in mice with tumors	30; 10 tumor-bearing mice plus acupuncture; 10 normal mice, no acupuncture; and 10 tumor-bearing mice, no acupuncture	Erythrocyte increasesc
[2]	Mice with mammary cancer	Exp. 1: Immune system function	Exp. 1: 30; 10 tumor-bearing mice plus acupuncture; 10 tumor-bearing mice, no acupuncture; 10 normal mice	Increase in NK cell activity; lymphocyte invasion of tumor increased; reduced tumor volumed
		Exp. 2: Histopathology of the tumor	Exp. 2: 56; 30 tumor-bearing mice plus acupuncture; and 26 tumor-bearing mice, no acupuncture
[5]	Rats with polycystic ovary syndrome (not cancer)	NGF concentration in ovaries and adrenal glands	32; 8 EV plus EA; 8 EV control; 8 oil control; and 8 NaCl control	Lower NGF concentration in ovariese
[4]	Ferrets receiving chemotherapy	Emesis induced by cyclophosphamide treatment	86	36%-73 % decrease in vomiting with EA as adjuvant to antiemeticsf
			Exp. 1: 30 EA only (6 per group with various EA parameters); 8 vehicle control; 6 sham EA; 6 place EA
			Exp. 2: 18 EA plus antiemetic (6 plus ondansetron, 6 plus metoclopramide, and 6 plus droperidol); 6 EA alone control; 6 sham EA control; and 18 antiemetics alone control (6 plus ondansetron, 6 plus metoclopramide, and 6 plus droperidol)
[3]	Rats (normal)	Splenic NK cell activity	46; 22 acupuncture treated (17 tibial and 5 abdominal); 18 no acupuncture controls; assignment of remaining 6 not noted	NK cell activity enhancedg

EA = electroacupuncture; EV = estradiol valerate; NGF = nerve growth factor; NK = natural killer cell; No. = number.

aSee text and the NCI Dictionary for additional information and definition of terms.

bStrongest evidence reported that the treatment under study has activity.

c P < .05, comparison of acupuncture-treated versus nontreated tumor-bearing mice.

dAll P < .05.

e P < .05, EV plus EA versus EV only.

f P < .05, acupuncture versus no acupuncture.

g P < .05, EA plus antiemetics versus antiemetics or EA alone.

References

1. Wu P, Cao Y, Wu J: Effects of moxa-cone moxibustion at Guanyuan on erythrocytic immunity and its regulative function in tumor-bearing mice. J Tradit Chin Med 21 (1): 68-71, 2001.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
2. Liu LJ, Guo CJ, Jiao XM: [Effect of acupuncture on immunologic function and histopathology of transplanted mammary cancer in mice] Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi 15 (10): 615-7, 1995.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
3. Sato T, Yu Y, Guo SY, et al.: Acupuncture stimulation enhances splenic natural killer cell cytotoxicity in rats. Jpn J Physiol 46 (2): 131-6, 1996.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
4. Lao L, Zhang G, Wong RH, et al.: The effect of electroacupuncture as an adjunct on cyclophosphamide-induced emesis in ferrets. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 74 (3): 691-9, 2003.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
5. Stener-Victorin E, Lundeberg T, Waldenström U, et al.: Effects of electro-acupuncture on nerve growth factor and ovarian morphology in rats with experimentally induced polycystic ovaries. Biol Reprod 63 (5): 1497-503, 2000.  [PUBMED Abstract]