Moxibustion in cancer supportive care: what the research says
What the Cochrane review and other systematic reviews report on moxibustion for chemotherapy and radiotherapy side effects, nausea, low white-cell counts and cancer-related fatigue — with the low-certainty caveats. Moxibustion does not treat cancer.
Short answer: a 2018 Cochrane review found limited, low-certainty evidence that moxibustion may help reduce the blood-count and digestive side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy and improve quality of life. The authors stress that the evidence is not conclusive and that benefits or risks cannot be ruled out [1].
Moxibustion is not a cancer treatment. The research below concerns supportive care for side effects only. People having cancer treatment should discuss any complementary therapy with their oncology team first. Moxa Sourcing makes no treatment claims.
What the Cochrane review found
The Cochrane review Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer is the most rigorous source on this topic [1]:
- Possible benefit for haematological toxicity (low blood counts) and gastrointestinal toxicity (nausea and vomiting), and for quality of life.
- Certainty: low.
- Gap: high-quality studies that report adverse effects are needed.
Other systematic reviews
| Topic | Source | Finding | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supportive cancer care overall | BMC Cancer review [2] | Limited evidence for nausea and vomiting | All studies at high risk of bias; “not enough evidence to draw any conclusion” |
| Chemotherapy-induced leukopenia (low white cells) | Supportive Care in Cancer review [3] | Low-level evidence of superiority over drug therapies | Too few, small and low-quality trials for firm conclusions |
| Gastric cancer surgery and chemotherapy | Supportive Care in Cancer meta-analysis [4] | Reported faster GI recovery and fewer adverse events | Pooled acupuncture and moxibustion |
| Advanced lung cancer, adjuvant to chemotherapy | Network meta-analysis [5] | Acupuncture plus chemotherapy ranked best overall | Moxibustion not top-ranked |
| Insomnia, anxiety and depression in cancer | Meta-analysis [6] | Might help | Trials of low quality; no definite conclusion |
Cancer-related fatigue
A randomized trial in breast cancer survivors tested infrared laser moxibustion, a flame-free device that imitates moxibustion. It was safe and reduced fatigue compared with a wait-list. Its advantage over a sham device still needs confirming in larger trials [7]. See Moxibustion for fatigue and Electric and infrared moxibustion devices.
Nausea and vomiting trials
Recent Chinese trials report less chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting with ginger-partitioned moxibustion combined with press needles [8], and with “herb-spreading” moxibustion as an add-on in gastric cancer [9]. Both are single trials from one country, and both measure symptoms that respond strongly to expectation.
Safety considerations specific to cancer care
- People having chemotherapy may have low white-cell counts or fragile skin. Burns and blisters carry an infection risk, and secondary infection is a documented complication of moxa burns [10].
- Smoke may bother people with nausea or breathing problems. Studies recommend ventilation [11][12], and trials have used flame-free devices [7].
- Any complementary therapy should be coordinated with the treating team.
Related pages
FAQ: related questions
Can moxibustion treat cancer?
No. Research on moxibustion in oncology concerns supportive care for side effects such as nausea, fatigue or low blood counts, not treatment of the cancer itself.
Does moxibustion help chemotherapy side effects?
A 2018 Cochrane review found limited, low-certainty evidence that moxibustion may help reduce blood-count and digestive toxicities of chemotherapy or radiotherapy and improve quality of life, but said the evidence is not conclusive and benefits or risks cannot be ruled out.
Is moxa smoke a concern for cancer patients?
Moxa smoke contains combustion products, and people undergoing cancer treatment may be more sensitive. Studies recommend ventilation; some trials used flame-free devices such as infrared laser moxibustion.
Sources for this page
- Zhang et al. Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30480754/
- Lee et al. Moxibustion for cancer care: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Cancer 2010. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20374659/
- Choi et al. Moxibustion for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced leukopenia: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Support Care Cancer 2015. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25471180/
- Yu et al. Influence of acupuncture and moxibustion on gastrointestinal function and adverse events in gastric cancer patients after surgery and chemotherapy: a meta-analysis. Support Care Cancer 2024. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39023776/
- Wang et al. Acupuncture or moxibustion adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Systematic review and network meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37861487/
- Fangfang et al. Acupuncture and moxibustion for malignant tumor patients with psychological symptoms of insomnia, anxiety and depression: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. J Tradit Chin Med 2023. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37147745/
- Mao et al. Infrared laser moxibustion for cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer survivors: a randomized controlled trial. Breast Cancer Res 2024. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38773552/
- Zhuang et al. Effect of ginger-partitioned moxibustion combined with ringheaded thumb-tack needle stimulation on gastrointestinal reactions of malignant tumor patients undergoing chemotherapy. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu 2024. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39020488/
- Zhao et al. [Herb-spreading moxibustion as an adjuvant treatment for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting of spleen and stomach deficiency cold in gastric cancer: a randomized controlled trial]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu 2025. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41397720/
- Safety of Moxibustion: A Systematic Review of Case Reports (PMC4058265). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4058265/
- Safety recommendations for moxa use based on noxious substances from commercial indirect moxibustion (PMC5466910). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5466910/
- Controlling Indoor Air Pollution from Moxibustion (IJERPH 2016). www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/13/6/612
Last reviewed: . Editorial note: this guide re-edits published sources; it does not provide medical advice or new research.
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