Acupuncture may offer relief to breast cancer patients experiencing hot flashes due to hormone therapy, according to a new clinical trial.
The study found that nearly two-thirds of women who underwent acupuncture while receiving hormone therapy reported fewer and less intense hot flashes.
Hormone therapy, which blocks the effects of estrogen and other hormones that fuel some breast cancers, is a common treatment. However, it comes with significant side effects. About 80% of patients experience hot flashes and other symptoms related to hormone deficiencies. These side effects can lead some patients to discontinue their therapy, which increases their risk of cancer progression and mortality.
“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 lead oncology acupuncturist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, in a news release.
In this study, researchers recruited 158 women with early to advanced breast cancers who were undergoing hormone therapy. Half of the participants were randomly assigned to receive acupuncture twice a week for 10 weeks.
The results were promising: about 64% of women who received acupuncture reported improvements in the number and severity of their hot flashes, compared to just 18% of women who did not receive acupuncture. Additionally, those who underwent acupuncture also reported better quality of life.
After the initial 10 weeks, the women who were not initially selected to receive acupuncture were also given the treatment. They too experienced significant improvements in their hormone therapy symptoms. Notably, no side effects from the acupuncture were reported.
“In practice, patients interested in using acupuncture for this purpose might begin with a short trial period to assess their response to the treatment, particularly in terms of reduction in hot flashes and other symptoms,” Lu explained. “If the trial period yields positive results, patients may then engage in a long-term program, receiving regular acupuncture sessions throughout the duration of their anti-hormonal medication regimen.”
