The Effect of Electroacupuncture on Osteosarcoma Tumor Growth and Metastasis : Analysis of Different Treatment Regimens

Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone tumor found in children and adolescents and is associated with many complications including cancer pain and metastasis. While cancer patients often seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches to treat cancer pain and fatigue or the side...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine 2013-01, Vol.2013 (2013), p.1-13
Main Authors: Smeester, Branden A., al-Gizawiy, Mona, O’Brien, Elaine E., Ericson, Marna E., Triemstra, Jennifer L., Beitz, Alvin J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acupuncture
Adolescents
Alternative medicine
Angiogenesis
Bone cancer
Bone growth
Bone tumors
Cancer
Cancer therapies
Chemotherapy
Children
Complications
Electroacupuncture
Fatigue
Gender differences
Growth factors
Innervation
Lungs
Metastases
Metastasis
Osteosarcoma
Pain
Sarcoma
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Summary:Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone tumor found in children and adolescents and is associated with many complications including cancer pain and metastasis. While cancer patients often seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches to treat cancer pain and fatigue or the side effects of chemotherapy and treatment, there is little known about the effect of acupuncture treatment on tumor growth and metastasis. Here we evaluate the effects of six different electroacupuncture (EA) regimens on osteosarcoma tumor growth and metastasis in both male and female mice. The most significant positive effects were observed when EA was applied to the ST-36 acupoint twice weekly (EA-2X/3) beginning at postimplantation day 3 (PID 3). Twice weekly treatment produced robust reductions in tumor growth. Conversely, when EA was applied twice weekly (EA-2X/7), starting at PID 7, there was a significant increase in tumor growth. We further demonstrate that EA-2X/3 treatment elicits significant reductions in tumor lymphatics, vasculature, and innervation. Lastly, EA-2X/3 treatment produced a marked reduction in pulmonary metastasis, thus providing evidence for EA’s potential antimetastatic capabilities. Collectively, EA-2X/3 treatment was found to reduce both bone tumor growth and lung metastasis, which may be mediated in part through reductions in tumor-associated vasculature, lymphatics, and innervation.
ISSN:1741-427X
1741-4288
DOI:10.1155/2013/387169