Acupuncture in Treating Mucositis-Related Pain Caused by Chemotherapy in Patients Undergoing Stem Cell Transplantation

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Must be undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) through one of the following means: * Concurrent enrollment on a HSCT protocol with the Experimental Transplantation \& Immunology Branch (ETIB) at the NCI Center for Clinical Research\* * Receiving HSCT as a compassionate exemption following the clinical guidelines of an ETIB protocol\* * Directly observed oral or pharyngeal mucositis and/or suspected esophageal mucositis after high-dose chemotherapy * No pain unrelated to mucositis requiring use of potent analgesics prior to initiation of high-dose chemotherapy NOTE: \*Protocol must be known to generate more than 50% incidence of high-dose chemotherapy-induced mucositis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * Not specified Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * No history of bleeding disorders Hepatic * PT and PTT normal Renal * Not specified Other * No history or evidence of drug addiction or drug-seeking behavior * No skin infection at the sites of acupuncture points PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * See Disease Characteristics Chemotherapy * See Disease Characteristics Endocrine therapy * Not specified Radiotherapy * Not specified Surgery * Not specified Other * No concurrent anticoagulant therapy