Randomized = 67 Completed = 59 Intervention group: 22, age (yr) = 57.5 ± 10.1 Control group 1: 22 age (yr) = 60.9 ± 6.5 Control group 2: 23 age (yr) = 60.6 ± 8.2
Intervention: electroacupuncture Practitioner: acupuncturist Frequency: twice per week for 2 weeks and weekly treatment for the following 6 weeks Total duration: 8 weeks
At least 4 local points around the joint with the most pain and at least 4 distant points to address nonpain symptoms commonly observed in conjunction with pain
Sham electroacupuncture (control 1): nonpenetrating needles at nonacupuncture, nontrigger points at least 5 cm from the joint where pain was perceived to be maximal Wait-list control (control 2)
(i) Anxiety and depression: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (ii) Sleep quality: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
S5: Tang et al., 2014 [30] A medical center, Taiwan
Lung cancer
Randomized = 57 Completed = 45 Group 1: 17, age (yr) = 53.9 ± 9.8 Group 2: 24, age (yr) = 54.8 ± 9.5 Group 3: 16, age (yr) = 66.1 ± 8.0
Intervention: acupressure Practitioner: research assistant with acupressure training Frequency: daily treatment Total duration: 5 months
Hegu (LI4); Zusanli (ST36); Sanyinjiao (SP6)
Sham acupressure: sham acupressure at sham acupoints located at first metacarpal head, patella, and inner ankle
(i) Anxiety and depression: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (ii) Sleep Quality: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
S6: Walker et al., 2010 [31] Oncology clinics, USA
Breast cancer
Randomized = 50 Completed = 27, age (yr) = median 55 (35–77) Intervention group: 25 Control group: 25
Intervention: manual acupuncture Practitioner: not reported Frequency: twice per week for the first 4 weeks and once per week for the following 8 weeks Total duration: 12 weeks for intervention and 1 year for follow-up
Standard methods of treatment/care: standard medication using antidepressant
(i) Depression: Beck Depression Inventory-Primary Care (BDI-PC) (ii) Adverse events
S7: Frisk et al., 2012 [32] Three participating centers, Sweden
Breast cancer
Randomized = 45 Completed = 18 Intervention group: 26 age (yr) = mean 54.1 (47–69) Control group: 18 age (yr) = mean 53.4 (43–67)
Intervention: electroacupuncture Practitioner: physiotherapist Frequency: twice a week the first two weeks and then once a week for 10 weeks Total duration: 12 weeks
Standard methods of treatment/care: standard medication (sequential or continuous combined estrogen/progestagen therapy for hot flushes)
(i) Depression/anxiety: Psychological and General Well-Being Index (PGWB) and Women’s Health Questionnaire (WHQ) (ii) Sleep data: the numbers of times wake-up/night and hours of sleep (iii) Adverse events
S8: Molassiotis et al., 2012 [33] Two cancer hospitals, four cancer centers, and three treatment centers of a national voluntary breast cancer organization, United Kingdom
Breast cancer
Randomized = 302 Completed = 246 Intervention group: 227, age (yr) = mean 52 (30–75) Control group: 75, age (yr) = mean 53 (25–80)
Intervention: manual acupuncture Practitioner: therapists with acupuncture training Frequency: 6 sessions with each session lasting 20 min Total duration: 6 weeks
Zusanli (ST36); Sanyinjiao (SP6); Hegu (LI4); and some alternative points [Yanglingquan (GB34) and Yinlingquan (SP9)]
Standard methods of treatment/care: enhanced usual care with information booklet on how to cope with fatigue
(i) Anxiety and depression: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (ii) Adverse events
S9: Molassiotis et al., 2013 [34] Two cancer hospitals, four cancer centers, and three treatment centers of a national voluntary breast cancer organization, United Kingdom
Breast cancer
Randomized = 198 Completed = 151, age (yr) = mean: 53 Intervention group: 65 Control group 1: 67 Control group 2: 65
