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A recent study has found that acupuncture may significantly alleviate hot flashes and other hormonal side effects experienced by women undergoing endocrine therapy for breast cancer. This discovery, based on a pooled analysis of three clinical trials, was reported on Monday and brings new hope to patients struggling with the debilitating side effects of life-saving treatments.
Endocrine therapy is essential in blocking hormone signaling that fuels certain types of breast cancer. However, it comes with a high cost; up to 80 percent of women undergoing this therapy experience hot flashes—characterized by sudden, intense sensations of body warmth, flushing, and sweating. These side effects are so severe for some women that they discontinue their treatment, which can elevate the risk of cancer progression and mortality.
To investigate the potential benefits of acupuncture in managing these side effects, researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the United States conducted a large-scale, multinational project. The project incorporated three independent randomized controlled trials conducted in the US, China, and South Korea. Their findings were published in the journal CANCER.
The analysis included 158 women with stage 0-III breast cancer. Participants were randomly assigned to either an immediate acupuncture (IA) group, receiving acupuncture twice weekly for 10 weeks followed by an additional 10 weeks without acupuncture, or a delayed acupuncture control (DAC) group. The DAC group received standard care for 10 weeks before transitioning to acupuncture at a reduced intensity of once per week for another 10 weeks.
The results were promising. After the initial 10 weeks, 64 percent of women in the IA group reported significant improvements in the frequency and severity of their hot flashes. In comparison, only 18 percent of women in the DAC group reported similar improvements. Furthermore, those in the DAC group who received weekly acupuncture during the second phase of the study also experienced substantial improvements in their symptoms.
Importantly, no side effects were reported by any participants, highlighting the safety of acupuncture as an adjunct treatment for managing endocrine therapy side effects.
“By managing side effects, our approach makes it easier for patients to continue their prescribed medication, which has the potential to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence and improve long-term outcomes for breast cancer survivors,” said Weidong Lu, the study’s lead author from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Lu also advised individuals interested in acupuncture to start with a short trial period to assess its effectiveness and then consider a long-term program if the results are favorable.
This study underscores the potential of acupuncture as a valuable tool in the supportive care of breast cancer patients, offering them a chance to better tolerate essential treatments and improve their quality of life.
