Reducing vasomotor symptoms with acupuncture in breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant tamoxifen: a randomized controlled trial
Open Access
- 14 December 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
- Vol. 135 (3), 791-798
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-010-1283-3
Abstract
To evaluate true acupuncture to control acupuncture (CTRL) (non-insertive stimulation at non-acupuncture points) in breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant tamoxifen suffering from hot flushes and sweatings. Eighty-four patients were randomized to receive either true acupuncture or CTRL twice a week for 5 weeks. Seventy-four patients were treated according to the protocol. In the true acupuncture group 42% (16/38) reported improvements in hot flushes after 6 weeks compared to 47% (17/36) in the CTRL group (95% CI, −28 to 18%). Both groups reported improvement regarding severity and frequencies in hot flushes and sweatings but no statistical difference was found between the groups. In a subanalysis regarding the severity of sweatings at night a statistically significant difference P = 0.03 was found in the true acupuncture group. Former experience of true acupuncture did not influence the perception of true acupuncture or CTRL. No significant differences in hormonal levels were found before and after treatment. In conclusion, convincing data that true acupuncture is more effective than CTRL in reducing vasomotor symptoms is still lacking. Our study shows that both true and CTRL reduce vasomotor symptoms in breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant tamoxifen.Keywords
This publication has 29 references indexed in Scilit:
- Menopausal hot flushes after breast cancerEuropean Journal of Cancer Care, 2009
- Long-term follow-up of acupuncture and hormone therapy on hot flushes in women with breast cancer: a prospective, randomized, controlled multicenter trialClimacteric, 2008
- Randomized, Controlled Trial of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer PatientsJournal of Clinical Oncology, 2007
- Psychological well-being improves in women with breast cancer after treatment with applied relaxation or electro-acupuncturefor vasomotor symptomJournal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2006
- Vasomotor symptoms decrease in women with breast cancer randomized to treatment with applied relaxation or electro-acupuncture: a preliminary studyClimacteric, 2005
- Menopausal symptoms in women with breast cancer: Prevalence and treatment preferencesPsycho‐Oncology, 2004
- A Cumulative Review of the Range and Incidence of Significant Adverse Events Associated with AcupunctureAcupuncture in Medicine, 2004
- HABITS (hormonal replacement therapy after breast cancer—is it safe?), a randomised comparison: trial stoppedThe Lancet, 2004
- Hot flashes in postmenopausal women treated for breast carcinomaCancer, 1998
- Statistics Notes: Some examples of regression towards the meanBMJ, 1994