Acupuncture may alleviate abdominal or back pain of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Acupuncture participants would receive electroacupuncture on Jiaji (Ex-B2) points for 3 times in a week. Placebo acupuncture participants would receive placebo acupuncture on non-point points for the same period. Pain scores on numeric rating scale (NRS) and blood levels of β-endorphin and nerve growth factor are compared.
Age
18–75
Sex
ALL
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
You may be eligible if
Advanced pancreatic cancer at Ⅲ-Ⅳ stage diagnosed by histological/cytological examination.
Pain score of abdominal or back pain ≥3 on a numeric rating scale (NRS) graduated from 0 to 10.
Stable dose of analgesics at least 72 hours before randomization.
Expected survival time more than 1 month.
You may not be if
Another cause for abdominal or back pain (such as prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc, ulcer or other intra-abdominal disorder).
Acupuncture treatment in the past.
Contraindications for the use of acupuncture (such as severe allergies, bleeding tendency, infectious dermatosis and ulcer or scar at points).
