Assessing the role and impact of research in clinical practice among acupuncturists in western countries: a multinational cross-sectional survey.

Background: Evidence-informed practice is crucial to perform safe and efficient health interventions. In recent years, the evidence base of acupuncture continuously increased leading to the integration of acupuncture into clinical guidelines by various leading medical associations worldwide. At the same time, recent studies showed that licensed acupuncturists are rarely utilizing scientific research to inform their practice.

Mapping the clinical practice of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine in oncology in Western countries: A multinational cross-sectional survey.

Background: Many cancer patients seek adjunctive therapies to biomedical cancer treatments at some point of their disease trajectory. While acupuncture is increasingly recommended by leading oncological associations, limited evidence exists concerning the evidence-informed practice and adherence to current guidelines of traditional complementary and integrative medicine (TCIM) practitioners treating cancer patients.

Methods: An international online-survey assessed the demographical data, clinical practice, and sources of information used by TCIM practitioners in Austria, Germany, United States of America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Symptom clusters associated with complementary and alternative medicine use by cancer patients: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a commonly used approach among cancer patients, with a reported prevalence of 14.8 to 73.1% depending on multiple factors.

A case report of immediate effects of acupuncture on neuropathic cancer breakthrough pain.

Introduction: Acupuncture is a promising treatment for visceral cancer pain, but to date, evidence for immediate effects on neuropathic pain is limited.

Case Presentation: This report presents a case of immediate pain relief by single-needle acupuncture on opioid-refractory neuropathic breakthrough pain in a 78-year-old female breast cancer patient with cervical bone metastases. Acupuncture was applied at a single point neuroanatomically correlating to the pain affected spinal segment.

A common hereditary single-nucleotide polymorphism in the gene of FAS and colorectal cancer survival.

Apoptosis plays an important role in embryogenesis, autoimmunity and tumourigenesis. Cell surface death receptors such as TNFRSF6 (FAS) confer a major apoptotic effect. A single-nucleotide polymorphism in the FAS promoter gene, -670A/G, modulates apoptotic signalling and has been related to susceptibility and progression of a variety of cancers.

Common single nucleotide polymorphisms in the vascular endothelial growth factor gene and colorectal cancer risk.

Purpose: Tumor growth requires the formation of new blood vessels, a phenomenon known as angiogenesis. The most important regulator of angiogenesis is vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Several common polymorphisms in the VEGF-gene have been associated with different VEGF expression, production and plasma levels according to allele status, and influence the risk of developing different types of cancer.

Plasmapheresis reverses all side-effects of a cisplatin overdose--a case report and treatment recommendation.

Background: Cisplatin is widely used as an antineoplastic agent since it is effective against a broad spectrum of different tumours. Nevertheless, it has several potential side effects affecting different organ systems and an overdose may lead to life-threatening complications and even death.

Case Presentation: We report on a 46-year old woman with non-small cell lung cancer who accidentally received 225 mg/m2 of cisplatin, which was threefold the dose as scheduled, within a 3-day period.