Vickers, A. J., Straus, D. J., Fearon, B., & Cassileth, B. R. (2004). Acupuncture for postchemotherapy fatigue: a phase II study. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 22, 1731–1735.

Traditional Chinese acupuncture was performed twice per week for four weeks or once per week for six weeks. The acupuncturists used points commonly used for fatigue.

• Thirty-seven adults (68% female) were included.
• Mean age was 61 years (range 43–78).
• Patients were ambulatory.
• Patients were at least three weeks posttreatment.
• Patients had a Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) score of 4 or greater. 
• Race/ethnicity were not reported.
• Patients were excluded if they had severe anemia, a Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) score of less than 70, or an anticipated survival of less than 3 months.

Acupuncture was delivered in an Integrative Medicine clinic.

The study used a single-arm, phase II, pilot design.

• BFI was measured at baseline pretreatment and one and two weeks posttreatment.
• Anxiety and depression were covariates, not outcomes.

Mean improvement was 31.1% (confidence interval [CI] [20.6%, 41.5%]); 39% of patients improved by greater than 40%. Younger and less depressed patients showed a greater response.

Acupuncture may affect serotonin pathways. No adverse events occurred.

• No control group or randomization was used.
• There was no control for exercise.
• Travel to the site was a barrier.

Certified acupuncturists are needed. Once weekly treatment was preferable. The intervention seemed to show benefits that suggest it is worthy of further study.