Acupuncture May Stimulate Anticancer Immunity via Activation of Natural Killer Cells

Table 5

Studies with evidence that acupuncture stimulation modulates expression of NK cell receptors.

Authors, journal, year of publication	Rho et al., Mol Cells, 2008	Kim et al., J Neuroimmunology, 2005	Xiao et al., Chen Tzu Yen Chiu, 1992	Ma et al., Zhen Ci and Yan Jiu, 1992	Wu et al., Chung-Kuo Chung Hsi i Chieh Ho Tsa Chih, 1994
Subjects	Sprague-Dawley rats	Sprague-Dawley rats	People with rheumatoid arthritis (controls, healthy people)	BALB/c mice	Hospital patients diagnosed with a malignant tumor prior to surgery
Treatment group	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Placebo control group	No	No	Yes	No	Yes
Non-placebo control group	Yes^b	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Jaded score^a	5	3	2	3	3
Jaded score components
Study described as randomized (yes = 1; no = 0)	1	0	1	1	1
Randomization appropriate (yes = 1; no = −1)	1	0	−1	1	−1
Subject blinded (yes = 1; no = 0)	1	1	0	1	1
Evaluator blinded (yes = 1; no = 0)	1	1	1	1	1
Subjects that withdrew and/or dropped out  described (yes = 1; no = 0)	1	1	1	1	1

^aUsed to assess quality of methods, with 5 being the highest score possible.
^bAuthors state “At the same time, the control group of rats (n = 6) were restrained in holders without EA stimulation or with EA stimulation at a non-acupoint”.