 Acupuncture is a complementary medicine modality shown to reduce postoperative pain, suppress nausea and vomiting, and promote GI motility. It is associated with few adverse events. Here we propose a randomized, sham controlled phase II study to evaluate acupuncture, in addition to conventional therapy, for its safety and effectiveness in improving postoperative recovery of colorectal cancer patients undergoing segmental or subtotal colectomy. The overall objective of this developmental project is to determine whether a more extended research project is warranted. 