Could acupuncture help patients with the side effects of anti-hormone breast cancer therapy?
Acupuncture may be a solution for mediating side effects in patients receiving hormone therapy for breast cancer.
A recent pooled analysis of three clinical trials has demonstrated that acupuncture can reduce hot flashes and other side effects frequently experienced by patients receiving hormone therapy for breast cancer. The multinational project, led by Weidong Lu of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (MA, USA), compared results from parallel trials conducted in the United States, China and South Korea.
Hormone therapy, also known as endocrine therapy, works by lowering hormones in the body responsible for driving cancers or blocking hormone signals from the tumor cells . However, side effects from hormone therapy can include hot flashes (or hot flushes), tiredness, headaches and weight gain. These side effects are often a reason the treatment is discontinued, which can put patients at further risk. The study sought to reduce the unwelcome side effects and improve quality of life in patients with breast cancer.
Patients with Stage 0-III breast cancer receiving hormone therapy but experiencing hot flashes were enrolled in the study. Study participants were separated into two groups: immediate acupuncture (IA), or delayed acupuncture control (DAC). In the IA group, patients received acupuncture treatment immediately after hormone therapy, receiving 20 sessions over 10 weeks before continuing for another 10 weeks without acupuncture. Patients in the DAC group received the usual care without acupuncture but after 10 weeks crossed over to acupuncture treatment with a lower intensity than the IA group. Both sets of patients were assessed by the endocrine symptoms’ subscale as part of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Endocrine Symptoms. All three trials used across the three countries used the same eligibility criteria, acupuncture protocol and study parameters.
Patients receiving IA reported significant improvements in their treatment-related side effects, notably a decrease in hot flashes, compared to DAC patients in the first 10 weeks of the trial. These patients also experienced greater improvements in their quality of life. Between weeks 10 and 20, when acupuncture was stopped for IA patients, no significant change in symptoms was recorded. In DAC patients, improvements were also observed in their side effects.
On reflection, author Weidong Lu stated, “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.” Though no acupuncture-related side effects were reported, longer-term outcomes have not been trialled under the same study measures as this research.
“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. 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,” Lu added.