Table 2.
Detailed characteristics the included trials.
| Study | Age (I/C) | Male (I/C) | Female (I/C) | Intervention group therapy | Control group therapy | Cancer type | Duration and frequency of treatment | Outcomes | Acupuncture points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ding et al., 2021 (21) |
54.23 ±7.98 |
55.57 ±10.63 |
18:17 | 12:13 | EA | SA | GC | from postoperative day 1, 20 min, once a day | TFF; TFD; LOS; |
GV20 Baihui百会, ST36 Zusanli 足三里, ST25 Tianshu 天枢, PC6 Neiguan 内关 |
| Wang et al., 2019 (22) | 62.45 ±6.87 |
63.90 ±6.85 |
11:9 | 9:11 | EA+RT | RT | RC | from postoperative day 1, 20 min, once a day | TFF; TFD; TBSR |
LI9 Shanglian
上廉, ST39 Xiajuxu 下巨虚, CV12 Zhongwan 中脘, ST25 Tianshu 天枢 |
| Wang et al., 2022 (23) | 66.13 ±15.91 |
63.63 ±11.64 |
16:19 | 14:11 | EA+RT | RT | CRC | from postoperative day 1, 30 min, once a day | TFF; TFD; TBSR; LOS |
ST36 Zusanli
足三里, PC6 Neiguan 内关, CV13 Shangwan 上脘, CV12 Zhongwan 中脘, CV10 Xiawan 下脘, ST25 Tianshu 天枢, CV6 Qihai 气海 |
| Yang et al., 2022 (24) |
51.79 ±3.96 |
52.12 ±4.27 |
26:28 | 14:12 | EA+RT | RT | GC | from postoperative day 1, 30 min, once a day | TFF; TFD; LOS; |
ST36 Zusanli
足三里, SP9 Yinglingqua阴陵泉, SP6 Sanyinjiao 三阴交, ST37 Shangjuxu 上巨虚, ST39 Xiajuxu 下巨虚 |
| Wu et al., 2020 (25) |
62.40 ±11.17 |
66.00 ±2.12 |
13:11 | 2:4 | MA+ERAS | ERAS | GC | from postoperative day 1, 30 min, until defecation occurred | TFF; TFD; LOS; |
ST37 Shangjuxu 上巨虚 |
| Wang et al., 2018 (26) | 57.5 ±8.5 |
58.5 ±8.5 |
9:10 | 5:4 | NWT+RT | RT | GC | from postoperative day 1, once a day | TFF; TFD; TBSR |
ST36 Zusanli
足三里, PC6 Neiguan 内关, SP6 Sanyinjiao 三阴交, LR3 Taichong 太冲, KI3 Taixi 太溪, LI11 Quchi曲池 |
| Xiong 2014 (27) |
63.6 ±6.4 |
64.2 ±5.8 |
17:16 | 13:14 | PA+RT | RT | OC | from postoperative day 1, 6 h, twice a day | TFF; TFD; TBSR |
CV8 Shenque
神阙, CV12 Zhongwan 中脘 |
| Zhang et al., 2022 (28) | NR | NR | NR | NR | MA+RT | RT | CRC | from postoperative day 4, 30 min, once a day | TFF; TFD; TBSR |
CV12 Zhongwan 中脘, ST25 Tianshu 天枢, PC6 Neiguan 内关, SP4 Gongsun 公孙, ST36 Zusanli 足三里, ST37 Shangjuxu 上巨虚 |
| Qian et al., 2017 (29) |
59±10 | 60±11 | 20:17 | 10:13 | MA+RT | RT | GC | from postoperative day 1, 20 min, once a day | TFF; TBSR; LOS | ST36 Zusanli
足三里, ST37 Shangjuxu 上巨虚, ST39 Xiajuxu 下巨虚 |
| Li et al., 2008 (30) |
64 | 60 | 10:14 | 12:9 | MA+RT | RT | OC | from postoperative day 1, 30 min, once a day | TFF | ST36 Zusanli
足三里 |
| Chen 2021 (31) |
34.56 ±8.23 |
35.50 ±8.83 |
NR | NR | EA+RT | RT | BGT | from postoperative day 1, 20 min, until defecation occurred | TFF; TFD |
LI 10 Shousanl 手三里, ST37 Shangjuxu 上巨虚, ST36 Zusanli 足三里, LI4 Hegu 合谷 |
| Lin et al., 2019 (32) |
34.57 ±8.29 |
35.50 ±8.80; 33.53 ±7.39 |
NR | NR | EA+RT | RT | BGT | from postoperative day 1, 20 min, once a day | TFF; TFD |
LI10 Shousanli 手三里, TE6 Zhigou 支沟, LI4 Hegu 合谷, ST36 Zusanli 足三里, ST37 Shangjuxu 上巨虚, ST39 Xiajuxu 下巨虚 |
| Jia 2016 (33) |
55.7 ±6.1 |
56.5 ±6.3; 55.4 ±5.9 |
16:13:15 | 14:17 :15 |
AIT+RT | RT | GC | from postoperative day 1, twice a day | TFF; TFD; TBSR |
ST36 Zusanli
足三里 |
| Zhong et al., 2016 (34) | 57±4.3 | 55±4.8 | 17:16 | 13:14 | CEA+RT | RT | RC | NR | TFF; TFD; TBSR; LOS |
ST36 Zusanli
足三里 |
| Hou et al., 2016 (35) |
70±7 | 70±7 | 14:10 | 6:10 | TEAS+RT | RT | GC +CRC |
from postoperative day 1, 20 min, once a day | TFF | ST36 Zusanli
足三里, ST37 Shangjuxu 上巨虚 |
| Hsiung et al., 2015 (36) | 60.54 ±10.89 |
64.11 ± 15.60 |
20:20 | 6:8 | ACUP +RT |
RT | GC | from postoperative day 1, 12 min, once a day | TFF; TFD |
PC6 Neiguan
内关, ST36 Zusanli 足三里 |
I, intervention group; C, control group; NR, not reported; TFF, time to first flatus; TFD, time to first defecation; TBSR, time to bowel sound recovery; LOS, length of hospital stay; EA, electroacupuncture; SA, sham acupuncture; RT, routine treatment; ERAS, enhanced recovery after surgery; MA, manual acupuncture; TEAS, transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation; NWT, needle warming therapy; PA, acupoint application; AIT, acupoint injection therapy; CEA, catgut embedding at acupoint; ACUP, acupressure; GC, gastric cancer; CRC, colorectal cancer; OC, oesophageal cancer; BGT, benign gynaecological tumour; GV, governor vessel; ST, stomach; PC, pericardium; LI, large intestine; CV, conception vessel; SP, spleen; LR, liver; KI, kidney; TE, triple energiser.