Endocrine therapy helps block the hormonal signaling that causes some forms of breast cancer. Although it is a life-saving treatment, up to 80 percent of women experience hot flashes, temporary sensations of body heat, redness and sweating, leading to discontinuation of treatment, while raising the risk of cancer progression and death. .
To investigate the potential of acupuncture, researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, USA, carried out a coordinated multinational project consisting of three independent randomized controlled trials in the USA, China and South Korea.
The analysis, published in the journal CANCER, included 158 women with stage 0-III breast cancer. These women were randomly assigned to immediate acupuncture, received acupuncture twice a week for 10 weeks, and were followed for an additional 10 weeks without acupuncture or delayed acupuncture control (DAC).
DAC participants received usual care for 10 weeks and then transitioned to reduced intensity acupuncture (once a week) for 10 weeks.
After week 10, 64 percent of people in the IA group reported improvements in the number and severity of their hot flashes, compared to 18 percent in the DAC group.
Additionally, DAC participants who received weekly acupuncture showed significant improvements in symptom scores relative to week 10. None of the participants reported side effects.
"By controlling side effects, our approach makes it easier for patients to continue with their prescribed medication, which has the potential to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence and improve long-term outcomes for breast cancer survivors," said the study. Lead author Weidong Lu, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Weidong also suggested that people interested in using acupuncture start with "a short trial period" and, based on the results, "engage in a long-term program."
To investigate the potential of acupuncture, researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, USA, carried out a coordinated multinational project consisting of three independent randomized controlled trials in the USA, China and South Korea.
The analysis, published in the journal CANCER, included 158 women with stage 0-III breast cancer. These women were randomly assigned to immediate acupuncture, received acupuncture twice a week for 10 weeks, and were followed for an additional 10 weeks without acupuncture or delayed acupuncture control (DAC).
DAC participants received usual care for 10 weeks and then transitioned to reduced intensity acupuncture (once a week) for 10 weeks.
After week 10, 64 percent of people in the IA group reported improvements in the number and severity of their hot flashes, compared to 18 percent in the DAC group.
Additionally, DAC participants who received weekly acupuncture showed significant improvements in symptom scores relative to week 10. None of the participants reported side effects.
"By controlling side effects, our approach makes it easier for patients to continue with their prescribed medication, which has the potential to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence and improve long-term outcomes for breast cancer survivors," said the study. Lead author Weidong Lu, of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Weidong also suggested that people interested in using acupuncture start with "a short trial period" and, based on the results, "engage in a long-term program."
