Acupuncture May Help Manage Hot Flashes and Side Effects for Women Undergoing Breast Cancer Therapy
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In a pooled analysis of three clinical trials, published online in the peer-reviewed journal CANCER by Wiley, acupuncture was found to significantly reduce hot flashes and other hormonal side effects in women undergoing endocrine therapy for breast cancer.
Endocrine therapy, which blocks hormone signalling that drives some forms of breast cancer, can be a life-saving treatment, but up to 80% of patients who take it experience hot flashes—a sudden, temporary sensation of body warmth, flushing, and sweating—and other side effects. Many patients who experience these symptoms discontinue endocrine therapy, which can put them at an elevated risk of cancer progression and death.
Other medications can reduce hot flashes, but they come with unpleasant side effects. Studies have evaluated the impact of acupuncture on hot flashes in women with early breast cancer undergoing endocrine therapy.
In the study, researchers conducted three independent randomized controlled trials involving 158 women with stage 0–III breast cancer. The participants were divided into two groups: immediate acupuncture (IA) and delayed acupuncture control (DAC). Those in the IA group received acupuncture twice a week for 10 weeks, followed by 10 weeks without acupuncture. The DAC group received usual care for the first 10 weeks, then switched to once-weekly acupuncture for the next 10 weeks.
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