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Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of acupuncture treatment for persistent hiccups in cancer patients. Design: The study design was a retrospective case series. Settings/location: The study setting was the Clinical Research Center of the National Institutes of Health. Subjects: The subjects were 16 adult male patients ages 27–71 with cancer, with persistent hiccups. Interventions: There were one to three acupuncture sessions over a 1–7-day period. Outcome measures: Treatment efficacy was measured using a hiccup assessment instrument pre- and post-treatment. The effects of acupuncture on common symptoms reported by all patients were also evaluated. Results: Thirteen (13) patients experienced complete remission of persistent hiccups ( p < 0.0001); 3 patients experienced decreased hiccups severity. Significant improvement was observed in discomfort ( p < 0.0001), distress ( p < 0.0001), and fatigue ( p = 0.0078). Conclusions: This case series demonstrates that acupuncture may be a clinically useful, safe, and low-cost therapy for persistent hiccups in patients with cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]