Effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on the immune function of patients with malignant tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

2025-07-25
Frontiers in immunology 16
- Yan Wang
- Bailu Sui
- Ying Zhang
- Liyuan Fang
- Yi Xie
- Yuhang Fang
- Runxi Wang

PubMed: 40787472
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1583522

Study Design

Type: Meta-Analysis
Sample size: n = 2,610
Population: patients with malignant tumors
Methods: meta-analysis of RCTs; acupuncture and/or moxibustion; systematic search of eight databases for articles through December 31, 2024

Background

Acupuncture and moxibustion have been shown to be safe and effective methods for bidirectional immunomodulatory function. Clinical practice and many studies have shown that acupuncture and moxibustion have a certain clinical effect on immune promotion in patients with malignant tumors.

Methods

Eight electronic databases were searched systematically for articles published through December 31, 2024. Study Selection Randomized controlled trial studies (RCTs) that reported The number of T lymphocytes cells in patients with malignant tumors who received acupuncture and/or moxibustionon treatment were included. For continuous variables, effect estimates were calculated as mean difference (MD); and for dichotomous variables, the risk ratio (RR) was calculated. A funnel plot was used to analyze potential publication bias.

Results

33 studies involving 2610 participants were included. Patients who received acupuncture and/or moxibustion treatment had higher CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺ and natural killer (NK) cell levels, but lower CD8⁺ levels. At the same time, the anti-tumor treatment effect was better than that of the control group.

Conclusions

Evidence from this meta-analysis, acupuncture and moxibustion can enhance the immune function and improve the prognosis of malignant tumor patients. Further studies are recommended to support and confirm these findings.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42023465759.