Objective To evaluate the analgesic effects of wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with morphine in the treatment of refractory cancer pain. Methods Fifty-three patients with refractory caner pain were randomly assigned to morphine group（18 cases）

morphine plus acupuncture group（17 cases） and morphine plus wrist-ankle acupuncture group（18 cases）. The morphine group was given oral administration of morphine sustained-release tablets according to the intensity of pain. The morphine plus acupuncture group was given acupuncture at bilateral Neiguan（PC6）

Sanyinjiao（SP6） immediately after giving the morphine sustained-release tablets

and the needles were retained for 1 hour; the morphine plus wrist-ankle acupuncture group was given wrist-twisting acupuncture immediately after giving the morphine sustained-release tablets

and the needles were retained for 1 hour. The analgesic effects on patients of all groups were observed. The onset time of analgesia

duration of analgesia

and the number of pain outbreaks were recorded. The morphine dose and KPS score before and after treatment were recorded. The numerical rating scale（NRS） was used to assess the pain level of patients. Adverse reaction during treatment was also recorded. Results The total analgesic effective rate of the morphine group

the morphine plus acupuncture group and morphine plus wrist-ankle group was 68. 8%

75. 0% and 87. 5%

respectively. The total analgesic effect of morphine plus wrist-ankle group was better than that of the morphine group（P < 0. 05）. Compared with the morphine group

the analgesic onset time of the morphine plus acupuncture group

and the morphine plus wrist-ankle group was shortened

the duration of analgesia was prolonged

and the number of outbreaks was reduced（P < 0. 05 or P <0. 01）. Compared with the morphine plus acupuncture group

the analgesic onset time of the morphine plus wristankle group was shortened

the duration of analgesia was prolonged

and the number of outbreaks was reduced（P <0. 05）. Compared with the morphine group after treatment

the morphine use of the morphine plus acupuncture group was reduced

and the NRS score of the morphine plus wrist-ankle group was reduced

KPS score increased

and the morphine dose was reduced（P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01）. Compared with the morphine plus acupuncture group after treatment

the NRS score of the morphine plus wrist-ankle group was reduced

KPS score increased

and the morphine dose was reduced（P < 0. 05）. The incidence of adverse reactions in the morphine group

the morphine plus acupuncture group and the morphine plus wrist-ankle group was 56. 25%

43. 75% and 18. 75%

respectively. The incidence of adverse reactions in the morphine plus wrist-ankle group was significantly lower than that in the morphine group and morphine plus acupuncture group（P < 0. 05）. Conclusion Wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with morphine in the treatment of refractory cancer pain is effective

and it could reduce the use of morphine and reduce the incidence of adverse reactions.