Acupuncture for Breast Cancer Patients

Acupuncture is a complementary therapy that has been found to alleviate side effects of endocrine therapy for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients, according to a study published in Cancer. Researchers conducted three parallel randomized trials in the US, China, and South Korea and found that immediate acupuncture significantly decreased hot flash scores by 50% or more in 64% of women and improved the overall quality of life in breast cancer patients receiving endocrine therapy.

The Importance of Managing Side Effects of Endocrine Therapy

Endocrine therapy is commonly used to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence and mortality in women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. However, this therapy can have side effects, such as hot flashes, mood swings, and decreased quality of life. Roughly 80% of patients who receive this therapy experience hot flashes, which can be debilitating and lead to treatment discontinuation.

Acupuncture shows promise as a nonpharmaceutical approach to manage these side effects without the additional side effects that come with pharmaceutical options. A holistic approach, like acupuncture, is valuable in managing the complex side-effect profile of endocrine therapy.

The Study Process

Researchers evaluated three parallel randomized trials that included women with stage 0 to stage III hormone receptor-positive breast cancer who had undergone chemotherapy or radiation therapy and were receiving endocrine therapy. The women also experienced at least 14 hot flashes per week for at least four weeks. They were randomly assigned to receive either immediate acupuncture or delayed acupuncture as a control group, and researchers conducted follow-up observations.

Women in the immediate acupuncture group received two sessions of acupuncture per week for ten weeks, while those in the delayed group did not receive acupuncture during the first ten weeks but later received it once per week over the following ten weeks. The study’s primary endpoint was the endocrine symptom subscale (ESS) scores, and weekly changes in hot flash scores were the secondary endpoint. The study’s results showed that women who received immediate acupuncture had a significantly improved ESS score compared to the control group.

Study Findings

The hot flash score of women in the immediate acupuncture group decreased by 50% or more in 64% of patients, while only 18% of the control group experienced the same result. The symptoms of patients were also addressed on a widespread range, not limited to only the hot flashes. The results also showed that hot flashes were significantly reduced in the immediate group at week 5, and quality-of-life scores improved compared to the control group. Women in the delayed group who received acupuncture treatment after week 10 also showed significant improvement.

Future Research Plans on Acupuncture as a Complementary Therapy

While Lu and his colleagues noted that the study has some limitations, such as the lack of diversity in the cohort and the use of delayed acupuncture as the control, which increases the odds of a placebo effect and the trial being conducted at multiple sites with some differences in the treatment process. Future research can address questions, including how acupuncture affects different racial and ethnic groups and whether it can impact adherence to endocrine therapy.

As Lu said, “Acupuncture should be viewed as a complement to, not a replacement for, conventional cancer treatments. As evidence accumulates, we should consider how to effectively integrate acupuncture into standard oncology care pathways, ensuring that all suitable patients have access to this beneficial therapy.”

Conclusion

Acupuncture is an alternative, complementary therapy with broad-spectrum effects that can improve the quality of life of breast cancer patients. Although conventional cancer treatments are paramount, complementary treatments, such as acupuncture, should be included in cancer patients’ care plans and integrated into standard oncology care pathways. By doing so, patients will have access to an affordable therapy that improves their overall well-being.

Originally Post From https://www.healio.com/news/hematology-oncology/20240624/acupuncture-reduces-hot-flashes-in-women-receiving-treatment-for-breast-cancer

Acupuncture reduces hot flashes in breast cancer treatment: Healio