OBJECTIVE

To explore whether acupuncture and moxibustion can prevent disease progression of advanced gastric cancer patients completing second-line chemotherapy and, if so, the related mechanism.

METHOD

Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were main outcome measures. The real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of genes including T-bet, IFN-, GATA3, and IL-4 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). IL-4, IL-6, Ca199, CRP, and IFN- in plasma levels were checked.

RESULTS

170 patients were randomly assigned in a 3 : 2 ratio to receive either acupuncture and moxibustion or sham acupuncture until progression. 135 patients were included in the primary analysis. Both PFS and OS in treatment group were proven to be better than control group. Acupuncture and moxibustion promoted typical Th1 cells drifting, as confirmed by increased T-bet/IFN- and decreased GATA3/IL-4 in mRNA levels from PBMCs, as well as upregulating IFN- and downregulating IL-4 in plasma levels. IL-6, Ca199, and CRP in plasma levels were also reduced by acupuncture and moxibustion.

CONCLUSIONS

Acupuncture and moxibustion can prolong PFS and OS of advanced gastric cancer patients completing second-line chemotherapy by reversing Th1/Th2 shift and attenuating inflammatory responses.