Molassiotis A, Helin AM, Dabbour R, Hummerston S. (2007). The effects of P6 acupressure in the prophylaxis of chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 15(1), 3-12.

To study the effects of P6 acupressure in the prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in patients with breast cancer.

Participants were randomized to the control or experimental arm and received standard antiemetics before chemotherapy with prescriptions for antiemetics for delayed CINV that were variable.

For the experimental group, acupressure was applied using a Sea-Band® (Sea-Band Ltd.) for five days after chemotherapy administration. Researchers taught patients how to wear the bands bilaterally with the stud pressing the P6 acupoint in brief education sessions. Patients were given daily logs with the hours of the day and asked to put a mark at the hour each time that they pressed the wristband’s stud. Patients were instructed to press the stud for two to three minutes every two hours throughout the day, marking it in their log.

The control group was given antiemetics and told that they would receive acupressure instructions and wristbands with their next cycle of chemotherapy.

All participants completed questionnaires every evening after chemotherapy for five evenings. Completed questionnaires were returned directly to researchers or via pre-paid envelopes.

• The study consisted of 36 participants.
• All patients were newly diagnosed and chemotherapy naïve, starting their first cycle of chemotherapy for breast cancer, stages I-III, receiving doxorubicin or epirubicin and cyclophosphamide.
• Patients were excluded if they had received palliative chemotherapy, had a life expectancy of less than three months, had bowel obstruction, were receiving radiation therapy, or had lymphedema.

This study was conducted at a general hospital and a cancer hospital in the United Kingdom.

This was a randomized, controlled trial.

The Rhodes Index of Nausea and Vomiting was used.

Nausea and retching experience and nausea, vomiting, and retching occurrence and distress were significantly lower in the acupressure group than the control group.

At day 3, the acupressure group had a high level of nausea, vomiting, and retching, which was equal to the control group.

Acupressure at P6 is an effective intervention for managing CINV in patients with breast cancer.

• The sample size was small.
• Antiemetics for days 2-5 were not controlled.
• The study relied on patients completing daily questionnaires and returning them.

Use of the acupressure bands is easy to teach, and the bands are low in cost.