Effects of electro-acupuncture on T cell subpopulations, NK activity, humoral immunity and leukocyte count in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of electro-acupuncture on T cell subpopulations, natural killer cell (NK) activity, humoral immunity and leukocyte count in patients undergoing chemotherapy. METHODS: Electro-acupuncture was added for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Tests were done on T cell subpopulations, NK activity, humoral immunity and leukocyte count before treatment and after 4 courses of treatment. RESULTS: After 4 courses of treatment with chemotherapy and electro-acupuncture, no obvious changes were found in T cell subpopulations, NK activity, humoral immunity and leukocyte count (P > 0.05) as compared with those before treatment. Patients undergoing chemotherapy combined with electro-acupuncture showed obviously higher leukocyte count than that of the control group given no leukogenic drugs (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Electro-acupuncture may reduce immunologic damage caused by chemotherapy, thus it can be used as the auxiliary therapy for patients undergoing chemotherapy.