Complementary and alternative therapy research

The Palliative and Supportive Care Clinical Studies Development Group set up by the National Cancer Research Institute encourages and oversees research into complementary therapies in the UK. It also plays a big part in helping to increase the amount of research into this area. The UK Clinical Research Network website has a UK clinical research database, which includes details of complementary therapy trials that are open and recruiting patients. There is a link to a guide for using the database at the top of the page.

You can find details of complementary therapy trials in the UK on our clinical trials database. Type 'complementary therapies' into the search box and tick the box for 'trials that have finished recruiting'. If you want to find out about research into a specific type of complementary or alternative therapy, look at the page about the specific type of therapy in our individual therapies section. 

Currently in the UK, studies are looking at

• Acupuncture and moxibustion to relieve lymphoedema
• Acupuncture for fatigue
• Acupressure for nausea
• Acupuncture for a dry mouth
• Complementary therapies and survival
• Herbal medicines and cancer
• Mindfulness based stress reduction and prostate cancer
• Osteopathy treatment for pain after breast cancer surgery
• Reflexology for early breast cancer
• Spiritual beliefs study

Apart from the studies we mention here, there are many other studies going on in universities, cancer centres and units around the UK. Many studies may be quite small, but bringing all their results together will help define the role of complementary therapies in cancer care.

Acupuncture and moxibustion to relieve lymphoedema

One small trial is looking at complementary therapies for lymphoedema. Lymphoedema is swelling caused by a build up of lymph fluid in the body. It can be a side effect of surgery or radiotherapy treatment if the lymph nodes that usually drain the fluid are removed or damaged. Lymphoedema can cause discomfort, pain, and difficulty moving. There is no cure for lymphoedema, but treatments can relieve symptoms. The trial has been looking at whether 2 complementary therapies can help to relieve the symptoms of lymphoedema. The therapies are acupuncture and moxibustion. 

Acupuncture uses fine sterile needles which are put just under the skin at particular points (acupuncture points) on the body. Moxibustion uses a dried herb called mugwort which is rolled into a stick. The moxibustion practitioner holds the glowing end of the lit stick over acupuncture points to warm them.

Acupuncture for fatigue

In several hospitals a trial is looking at acupuncture for tiredness (fatigue). It wants to find out how well acupuncture and self acupuncture work in managing cancer related fatigue in breast cancer patients. You can find details of the acupuncture for fatigue trial on our clinical trials database.

Acupressure for nausea

A study is looking at how well acupressure works for controlling nausea due to chemotherapy. It is also looking at how cost effective the treatment is. For example, if acupressure controls nausea well, people may need less anti sickness medicines and so that may save money. You can read about the acupressure for nausea trial on our clinical trials database.

Acupuncture for a dry mouth

The Arix trial is a phase III trial testing whether group acupuncture can help with a dry mouth. It is for people who have a dry mouth due to radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. People in the trial have acupuncture treatment in a group setting. They also have information about other ways of coping with a dry mouth. The study is looking at whether the acupuncture makes people produce more saliva and whether it helps them to feel better. You can read about the Arix study on the UK Clinical Research Network website.

Complementary therapies and survival

The DietCompLyf study aims to find out if diet, complementary therapies and lifestyle factors have an effect on breast cancer survival. Breast cancer survival rates vary from country to country and researchers think this may be due to differences in diet and lifestyle. This study wants to find out how a group of chemicals found in plants, called phytoestrogens, affect survival after breast cancer. It also wants to find out whether having a healthy lifestyle and using complementary therapies could help to improve survival in people with breast cancer. The researchers will look at the diet and lifestyle of 3,000 women with breast cancer. It aims to find out whether phytoestrogens, lifestyle factors and using supplements affect whether breast cancer comes back (recurs) or gets worse (progresses).

Herbal medicines and cancer

One study is looking at the behaviour, beliefs, knowledge, information sources and needs of people with cancer who take herbal medicines. The study involves looking at all the research so far, creating a questionnaire and then doing a survey of patients. We have details of the herbal medicines and cancer study on our clinical trials database.

Mindfulness based stress reduction for men with prostate cancer

One study is looking at whether mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) can reduce depression and anxiety in men having active surveillance for prostate cancer. There are details of the MBSR study on the UK Clinical Research Network website. 

Osteopathy treatment for pain after breast cancer surgery

An international trial is looking at whether osteopathy can help to reduce pain after breast cancer surgery. You can read about this trial on the clinical trials.gov website

Reflexology for early breast cancer

The reflexology study is a randomised controlled trial looking at the effects of reflexology on quality of life. It wants to find out how reflexology affects mood, adjustment to cancer, physical functioning coping, and the immune system for women with early breast cancer. Click on this link to find details of the reflexology study on the UK Clinical Research Network website.

Spiritual beliefs study

The spiritual beliefs study aims to find out what effect spiritual beliefs have on the mood and quality of life of people with advanced cancer. It is a small study in the London area. You can find details of the spiritual beliefs study on our clinical trials database.

In the USA the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has a database of complementary and alternative therapy clinical trials. It includes trials for people with different types of cancer that aim to help to control the side effects of cancer and its treatments. Although these are not UK trials, we have included a link to NCCAM because the trials may be of interest to some people seeking information from around the world. Also in the USA, the Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM) has information about recent trials into CAMs.

You can find out about some European CAM research on the European Information Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine website.