A Survey on the Willingness and Demand for Acupuncture Treatment Among Patients with Malignant Tumors

A 2025 survey of 511 cancer patients at Beijing Cancer Hospital reveals that 94.1% are willing to receive acupuncture, primarily for sleep and pain relief, with willingness significantly influenced by higher Traditional Chinese Medicine literacy and demographic factors such as gender and age.

The Gist

🌟 The Big Picture: A "Menu" for Cancer Patients

Imagine a cancer treatment center as a massive, high-tech kitchen. For years, the chefs (oncologists) have been serving up powerful, life-saving dishes like chemotherapy and radiation. But sometimes, these dishes come with a side of "unwanted ingredients" like pain, nausea, and exhaustion.

This study is like a customer satisfaction survey sent out to the diners (cancer patients). The researchers asked: "If we added a special spice called Acupuncture (a traditional needle therapy) to your meal, would you try it? What specific 'flavors' (symptoms) do you want us to fix?"

🔍 Who Was Asked?

The survey was conducted at the Beijing Cancer Hospital between February and May 2025.

• The Diners: 511 patients (both men and women, young and old) who had been diagnosed with cancer.
• The Method: They filled out a digital questionnaire on their phones, kind of like ordering food via an app.

📊 The Main Findings: What Did the Customers Say?

1. The "Yes" Rate is High

Out of everyone surveyed, 94% said, "Yes, I'd be willing to try acupuncture!"

• The Analogy: It's like walking into a restaurant where 9 out of 10 people say, "I'd love to try the new dessert." The appetite for this therapy is huge.

2. The Top "Order" (Symptoms to Fix)

When patients said "Yes," they had a specific list of complaints they wanted the acupuncture to handle. The top 5 requests were:

1. Sleeping troubles (The most popular request).
2. Pain.
3. Tiredness/Fatigue.
4. Numbness (often from chemo).
5. Loss of appetite.

3. The "Knowledge Key" (TCM Literacy)

This is the most important discovery of the study. The researchers found a strong link between how much a patient knows about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and whether they want acupuncture.

• The Analogy: Think of TCM knowledge like a key.
  • Patients who already understood the "language" of acupuncture (the key) were very eager to use it.
  • Patients who didn't know much about it (didn't have the key) were more hesitant or said "no."
  • The Result: 55% of those who loved the idea of acupuncture had good TCM knowledge. Only 36% of those who refused it had that knowledge.

4. The Gender Gap

Women were slightly more open to trying acupuncture than men.

• The Analogy: If acupuncture were a new type of car, women in this study were more likely to say, "I want to test drive it," while men were a bit more skeptical, though still many were interested.
• Specifics: Women were much more likely to ask for help with pain and sleep than men.

5. The "Young & Sleepy" Group

Younger patients (ages 18–45) who knew a bit about TCM were the ones most desperate for help with sleep.

• The Analogy: Younger patients are like high-performance sports cars that need to recharge their batteries (sleep) quickly to keep running. They are very motivated to fix their sleep issues.

🧠 Why Does This Matter? (The "So What?")

The study suggests that the main barrier isn't that acupuncture doesn't work; the barrier is awareness.

• The Problem: Many patients are like drivers who don't know their car has a "turbo button" (acupuncture) that can make the ride smoother. They are too scared to push the button because they don't understand how it works.
• The Solution: If doctors explain acupuncture clearly (like a mechanic explaining the turbo button), more patients will want to use it.
• The Recommendation:
  1. Educate: Teach patients more about how acupuncture works.
  2. Target: Specifically recommend it to women and younger patients who are struggling with sleep and pain, as they are the most eager for it.
  3. Trust: When a doctor recommends it, patients are much more likely to say yes.

⚠️ A Small Caveat (The Limitations)

The authors admit that this survey was only done at one hospital in Beijing.

• The Analogy: It's like judging the taste of pizza based only on one specific pizzeria in New York. It might be delicious there, but it might be different in Chicago or Tokyo.
• The Fix: Future studies need to ask people in rural areas and different hospitals to see if the results hold up everywhere.

🏁 The Bottom Line

Cancer patients are hungry for relief from pain and sleeplessness. Acupuncture is a popular "dish" on the menu, but many patients are afraid to order it because they don't understand the ingredients. If doctors and hospitals take the time to explain it (improve "TCM literacy"), more patients will give it a try and feel better.

Technical Summary

1. Problem Statement

Despite evidence supporting acupuncture as an effective adjunctive therapy for managing cancer-related symptoms (e.g., pain, fatigue, chemotherapy-induced neuropathy), its real-world application in oncology remains limited. The primary barriers include:

• Lack of Patient Understanding: Patients often have vague perceptions of acupuncture or lack identification with TCM culture.
• Low Acceptance: Many patients refuse acupuncture due to skepticism regarding its efficacy or safety.
• Knowledge Gap: There is insufficient data on the specific willingness, demographic drivers, and symptom-specific demands of malignant tumor patients regarding acupuncture, particularly within the context of Chinese medical culture.

2. Methodology

• Study Design: A cross-sectional, voluntary, anonymous questionnaire survey.
• Setting & Population: Conducted at Beijing Cancer Hospital (Peking University Cancer Hospital) between February and May 2025.
  • Inclusion Criteria: Pathologically diagnosed malignant tumor patients, aged ≥18 years.
  • Exclusion Criteria: Cognitive impairment, ECOG score >3, or medical industry practitioners.
  • Sample Size: 739 questionnaires distributed; 511 valid responses collected (Effective response rate: 69.1%).
• Instrument: A self-designed 16-item questionnaire validated against the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (TCM version) and the 2020 Chinese Citizen TCM Health Literacy Questionnaire.
  • Dimensions: Current medical purposes, TCM cultural literacy, and acupuncture treatment needs.
  • Reliability/Validity: Cronbach's $\alpha$ = 0.809; KMO = 0.887; Bartlett's Test $p < 0.001$.
• Data Collection: Online (Sojump platform) and bedside interviews for inpatients; posters/guides for outpatients.
• Statistical Analysis: SPSS 29 was used. Chi-square tests analyzed differences in demand rates across demographic and clinical subgroups.

3. Key Contributions

• Quantification of TCM Literacy Impact: The study empirically demonstrates that TCM cultural literacy is a statistically significant predictor of acupuncture acceptance, distinguishing it from other demographic factors.
• Demographic Segmentation of Needs: It identifies specific subgroups (e.g., young females with high TCM literacy) with distinct symptom targets (sleep and pain), offering a basis for targeted clinical recommendations.
• Clinical Practice Guidelines: The findings provide evidence to support the integration of acupuncture into standard oncology care pathways, specifically highlighting the role of physician recommendations in overcoming patient hesitation.

4. Key Results

A. General Willingness

• Overall Acceptance: 94.1% (481/511) of patients expressed willingness to receive acupuncture.
• Attitude Breakdown:
  • Explicit Acceptance: 46.6% (Female) vs. 40.1% (Male).
  • Acceptance upon Recommendation: 56% of those who "explicitly accept" and 56% of those who "accept upon doctor's recommendation" possessed good TCM literacy.
  • Refusal: Only 36.7% of those who refused had good TCM literacy (Significant difference: $P < 0.05$).

B. Top Symptom Demands (among willing patients)

The top five symptoms patients hoped to improve via acupuncture were:

1. Disturbed Sleep: 50.9% (245/481)
2. Pain: 47.6% (229/481)
3. Fatigue: 36.8% (177/481)
4. Numbness: 34.3% (165/481)
5. Poor Appetite: 29.9% (144/481)

C. Influencing Factors

• TCM Literacy: The strongest predictor. Patients with "Rich" TCM literacy were significantly more likely to accept acupuncture ($P = 0.044$).
• Gender: Female patients showed significantly higher demands for pain relief and sleep improvement compared to males ($P < 0.05$).
• Age: Patients aged 18–45 were significantly more likely to desire acupuncture for sleep improvement compared to older groups ($P < 0.05$).
• Non-Significant Factors: Tumor type, tumor stage, duration since diagnosis, and purpose of visit (initial vs. follow-up) showed no significant correlation with willingness to accept acupuncture.

D. Treatment Preferences

• Frequency: 84.6% preferred 1–3 sessions per week.
• Duration: 49.9% preferred 30-minute sessions.

5. Significance and Implications

• Educational Intervention: The study concludes that strengthening TCM health education is critical. Improving the population's TCM literacy can directly increase the acceptance rate of acupuncture among cancer patients.
• Physician Role: Recommendations from oncologists are a powerful catalyst. Since 56% of willing patients rely on doctor recommendations, integrating acupuncture into standard treatment discussions is vital.
• Targeted Care:
  • Priority Group: Female patients aged 18–45 with good TCM literacy should be prioritized for acupuncture to address sleep and pain.
  • Symptom Management: Acupuncture should be proactively offered for sleep disturbances and pain, which are the highest unmet needs.
• Limitations: The study is single-center (Beijing Cancer Hospital) and used convenience sampling, potentially biasing results toward patients with higher socioeconomic status and TCM exposure. Future studies should employ stratified random sampling across diverse settings.

Conclusion: The research validates that acupuncture is highly acceptable to cancer patients, provided there is adequate TCM cultural literacy and professional endorsement. It advocates for a dual approach: enhancing public TCM education and integrating acupuncture recommendations into standard oncology care to improve quality of life.