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Acupuncture May Alleviate Nocturia in Men Treated for Prostate Cancer

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on June 4, 2025.

via HealthDay

TUESDAY, June 3, 2025 -- Acupuncture may reduce nocturia in patients treated for prostate cancer, according to a research letter published online May 29 in JAMA Oncology.

Kevin T. Liou, M.D., from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, and colleagues conducted a randomized trial to evaluate acupuncture (10 weekly standardized treatments) relative to usual care for nocturia in prostate cancer survivors. The analysis included 60 participants with treated prostate cancer who reported two or more nocturia episodes every night for the past month.

The researchers found that acupuncture (40 participants) produced greater reduction in nocturia episodes than the waiting-list control (20 participants) by the end of treatment at week 10 (between-group difference, −1.13), which persisted up to one month posttreatment (difference, −0.85). Acupuncture was also associated with greater reduction in International Prostate Symptom Score total scores versus control at week 10 (difference, −3.76), which persisted until week 14 (difference, −3.39). Among those assigned to acupuncture, the most common adverse events were dizziness (mild, 2) and insomnia (mild, 2), with no cases reported in the control group.

"The promising effects of acupuncture on nocturia warrant further investigation in larger trials to address a substantial unmet need among survivors of prostate cancer," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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