Breast cancer: acupuncture could ease some symptoms, according to a meta-analysis

A review of 21 randomized trials

The researchers searched seven bibliographic databases through June 2025 for randomized trials evaluating acupuncture or acupressure in people with breast cancer. They included 21 trials addressing at least one of the following symptoms: fatigue, sleep disturbances or insomnia, and depressive symptoms.

This distinction matters: the trials did not necessarily have to measure all three symptoms together. The results therefore do not demonstrate that the intervention simultaneously improves this cluster of symptoms in the same person.

Improved sleep and fatigue scores

The review reports a favorable mean difference of 2.43 points on the PSQI sleep quality questionnaire, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 1.42 to 3.45 points of improvement. On the ISI Insomnia Severity Index, the favorable difference is 1.05 points.

The analyses also report statistically significant improvements in fatigue on two separate questionnaires, depressive symptoms and quality of life. However, a statistical difference alone does not establish that a change is clearly noticeable in everyday life. The abstract does not specify the thresholds used to determine clinical relevance.

Key information is still missing

The abstract does not detail the comparator groups, how the interventions were delivered or the duration of follow-up. It therefore cannot clarify which practice appears useful, compared with which alternative, or whether the benefits persist.

Two reviewers assessed the risk of bias, but the abstract does not provide their findings. Nor does it detail heterogeneity between trials, adverse effects, funding or conflicts of interest. These omissions limit the assessment of confidence in the estimates.

A favorable signal, not general proof

This review suggests a possible role for acupuncture or acupressure in managing some symptoms associated with breast cancer. It does not allow these results to be extrapolated to people without cancer, establish which of the two interventions to choose or imply an effect on the cancer itself. The authors call for further, higher-quality trials.

What we can take away

There is a favorable signal for some breast cancer symptoms, but the available abstract is not enough to determine the magnitude of the benefit people actually feel or which approaches are useful.