Acupuncture involves inserting very thin needles at specific body points; acupressure applies pressure instead. In cancer care it is used as a complementary therapy to help manage symptoms, not to treat the cancer itself. Evidence-based clinical guidelines from the Society for Integrative Oncology and ASCO recommend acupuncture or acupressure for several problems: chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (as an addition to standard anti-nausea medicine), aromatase-inhibitor-related joint pain in breast cancer, and general cancer pain, with additional evidence for fatigue and hot flashes. It is generally safe when performed by a trained, licensed practitioner using sterile single-use needles.
A licensed acupuncturist (or physician trained in medical acupuncture) places sterile, single-use needles at selected points for about 20–30 minutes per session, often over a series of visits. Acupressure and wristband devices are self-applied options for nausea.
Sessions are generally well tolerated. Benefits for symptoms build over a series of treatments. It complements — and does not replace — standard symptom medicines and cancer treatment.