Breast cancer patients who deal with hot flashes might find relief from acupuncture.
In a new study, researchers from Italy set out to find alternative treatment options for hot flashes in women with breast cancer. The researchers noted that breast cancer patients tend to suffer from longer and more intense hot flashes that can be difficult to treat since many patients cannot take hormone replacement therapy.
The researchers recruited 190 breast cancer patients over the age of 49 and divided them into two treatment groups. The first group included 85 women who received 10 sessions of traditional acupuncture for 12 weeks combined with a self-care booklet, while the second group of 105 women received just the booklet. The booklet stressed the importance of having psychological support and included ways to improve diet and exercise.
The severity of the hot flashes was scored before and after the treatment, with lower scores being more ideal. The study lasted from 2010 to 2013.
The researchers found that women from the acupuncture group had an average score of about 11, which was significantly lower than the score of 23 in the self-care only group.
"Women with breast cancer should know that acupuncture together with enhanced self care for at least three months can improve hot flashes with an overall benefit on their quality of life," said study author Giorgia Razzini of Civil Hospital in Carpi. "This approach is safe and feasible as well."
Razzini added that the difference in severity between the two groups was very noticeable and that the difference persisted for three to six months after the treatment ended. The acupuncture group also reported a higher quality of life than the other group.
"Anyone who treats breast cancer struggles with this problem in their practice, because the hot flashes that some women experience with anti-hormonal treatment can be profound," said Dr. Courtney Vito, a breast oncologic surgeon at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in California who was not a part of the study. "I've actually had patients who have had acupuncture with good success, so I'm not surprised by the finding. But it is heartening that we now have scientific proof that this can work. Which, in the end, may help to encourage insurance companies to their expand coverage so this can become an affordable option for all patients in need."
The researchers noted that they did not examine the effects of acupuncture mixed with antidepressants. Oftentimes, doctors will prescribe breast cancer patients with antidepressants to treat hot flashes.
The study's findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
