Cochrane · systematic review · CD010559
Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer
Zhang, HW, Lin, ZX, Cheung, F, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2018 · Cochrane Library
Gynaecological, Neuro-oncology and Orphan CancerAMSTAR 2: not assessed
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
28
current version
GRADE rated
21
No studies
7
Included studies
NR
No studies 7 · 25%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 0 · 0%Low 21 · 75%Moderate 0 · 0%High 0 · 0%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
Questions and results
Moxibustion versus no treatment for side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in cancer patients
Population: patients receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy for cancer treatment
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
The incidence and severity of toxicities: leukopenia (WHO grade 3 to 4) Moxibustion vs no treatment | RR 0.5 [0.1, 2.56] | 1 study · 72 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
QoL Moxibustion vs no treatment | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Patient‐reported symptom: nausea/vomiting Moxibustion vs no treatment | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Patient‐reported symptom: diarrhoea Moxibustion vs no treatment | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Objective outcome measure: WBC count (× 109/L) Moxibustion vs no treatment | MD 1.77 [0.76, 2.78] | 1 study · 80 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Objective outcome measure: haemoglobin (g/L) Moxibustion vs no treatment | MD 1.33 [1.2, 1.46] | 1 study · 66 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Objective outcome measure: platelets (× 109/L) Moxibustion vs no treatment | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Moxibustion versus sham treatment for side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in cancer patients
Population: patients receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy for cancer treatment
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
The incidence and severity of chemotherapy‐ or radiotherapy‐related toxicities Moxibustion vs sham treatment | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
QoL (EORTC QLQ‐C30) Moxibustion vs sham treatment | MD 14.88 [4.83, 24.93] | 1 study · 50 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Patient‐reported symptom: nausea/vomiting (EORTC QLQ‐C30) Moxibustion vs sham treatment | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 50 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Patient‐reported symptom: diarrhoea (EORTC QLQ‐C30) Moxibustion vs sham treatment | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 50 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Objective outcome measure: WBC count (× 109/L) Moxibustion vs sham treatment | MD 1.72 [0.97, 2.47] | 1 study · 50 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Objective outcome measure: haemoglobin (g/L) Moxibustion vs sham treatment | MD 2.06 [1.26, 2.86] | 1 study · 50 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Objective outcome measure: platelets (× 109/L) Moxibustion vs sham treatment | MD 210.79 [167.02, 254.56] | 1 study · 50 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Moxibustion versus conventional medicines for side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in cancer patients
Population: patients receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy for cancer treatment
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
The incidence and severity of toxicities: haematological toxicity Moxibustion vs conventional medicines | RR 0.57 [0.15, 2.2] | 1 study · 72 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
QoL (Karnofsky score) Moxibustion vs conventional medicines | MD 6.7 [2.37, 11.03] | 1 study · 82 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Patient‐reported symptom: nausea/vomiting Moxibustion vs conventional medicines | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Patient‐reported symptom: diarrhoea Moxibustion vs conventional medicines | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Objective outcome measure: WBC count (× 109/L) Moxibustion vs conventional medicines | MD 0.4 [0.15, 0.65] | 1 study · 90 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Objective outcome measure: haemoglobin (g/L) Moxibustion vs conventional medicines | MD 10.28 [4.51, 16.05] | 2 studies · 235 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Objective outcome measure: platelets (× 109/L) Moxibustion vs conventional medicines | no estimate extracted | 2 studies · 210 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Moxibustion + conventional treatment versus conventional medicine alone for side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in cancer patients
Population: patients receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy for cancer treatment
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
The incidence and severity of toxicities: leukopenia (WHO grade 3 to 4) Moxibustion + conventional treatment vs conventional medicine alone | RR 0.14 [0.01, 2.64] | 1 study · 56 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
QoL (EORTC QLQ‐c30) Moxibustion + conventional treatment vs conventional medicine alone | MD 8.85 [4.25, 13.46] | 3 studies · 134 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Patient‐reported symptom: nausea/vomiting (WHO grade 3 to 4) Moxibustion + conventional treatment vs conventional medicine alone | RR 0.43 [0.25, 0.74] | 7 studies · 801 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Patient‐reported symptom: diarrhoea Moxibustion + conventional treatment vs conventional medicine alone | RR 0.19 [0.01, 3.88] | 1 study · 61 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Objective outcome measure: WBC count (× 109/L) Moxibustion + conventional treatment vs conventional medicine alone | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 262 participants | Low |
Objective outcome measure: haemoglobin (g/L) Moxibustion + conventional treatment vs conventional medicine alone | MD 3.97 [1.4, 6.53] | 2 studies · 142 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Objective outcome measure: platelet (× 109/L) Moxibustion + conventional treatment vs conventional medicine alone | MD 13.48 | 2 studies · 142 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |