Breast cancer and acupuncture

OBJECTIVE: Peripheral neuropathy is a common complication of cancer treatment impairing quality of life and function. This study explored the impact of a complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) program on taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (TIPN). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Taxane-treated female patients with breast and gynecological cancer reporting TIPN-related symptoms were referred to an integrative physician, followed by patient-tailored CIM treatments (acupuncture with/without other modalities)...

PURPOSE: Approximately 20% of breast cancer survivors develop breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), and current therapies are limited. We compared acupuncture (AC) to usual care wait-list control (WL) for treatment of persistent BCRL. METHODS: Women with moderate BCRL lasting greater than six months were randomized to AC or WL. AC included twice weekly manual acupuncture over six weeks. We evaluated the difference in circumference and bioimpedance between affected and unaffected arms...

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:  After reviewing this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Understand the epidemiology of breast cancer, its incidence and impact. 2. Appreciate the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. 3. Understand the concept of comprehensive breast cancer management and its multidisciplinarity. 4. Be knowledgeable about the entire process required to manage breast cancer, since the early diagnosis until the management of non breast related conditions derived from the treatment...

AIM OF THE STUDY: Breast cancer survivors who take aromatase inhibitors (AI) often suffer from chronic pain. Emerging evidence supports the use of acupuncture as an effective pain management strategy for this condition, but its acceptability among cancer survivors is unknown. We evaluated breast cancer survivors' preferences for acupuncture as compared with medication use and identified factors predictive of this preference. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among breast cancer survivors who were currently, or had been, taking an AI...

INTRODUCTION: Increasing evidence suggests that acupuncture may be helpful to manage common symptoms and treatment side effects among breast cancer (BC) survivors. Acupuncture usage among BC survivors remains low with little known about the barriers to its utilization. We evaluated perceived barriers to acupuncture use among BC survivors and explored the sociodemographic variations of such barriers. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis at an urban academic cancer center on 593 postmenopausal women with a history of stage I-III hormone receptor-positive BC who were taking or had taken an aromatase inhibitor...

Objective: Pathology of an internal organ/body part causes corresponding skin areas-organ projection areas/acupuncture points-to rectify applied electrical currents (a diode phenomenon) once the resistance "breakthrough effect" has been induced in these specific, and sometimes remote, skin zones. The aim of this study was to estimate the diagnostic accuracy-as well as the scope of utilization-for detection of breast pathology of organ electrodermal diagnostics (OED), which utilizes this electrophysiologic phenomenon...

PURPOSE: This study was designed to critically evaluate the effect of acupuncture on cancer-related fatigue (CRF). METHODS: Seven databases (Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, Web of Science, CBM, Wanfang, and CNKI) were systematically reviewed from inception to November 2016 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Two reviewers critically and independently assessed the risk of bias using Cochrane Collaboration criteria and extracted correlated data using the designed form...

BACKGROUND: Guidelines surrounding optimum needle retention duration in acupuncture have not been established, despite a growing evidence base for acupuncture over recent decades. This retrospective study explored the effect of varying acupuncture needle retention durations in cancer patients. METHOD: Patients received either 2 (n = 35), 10 (n = 53), or 20 minutes (n = 54) of acupuncture once a week for 6 weeks. Outcomes of anxiety and depression, stress, fatigue, and quality of life (QOL), with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Fatigue, and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life, were measured at baseline and at 6 weeks following the intervention...

INTRODUCTION: For developing a hardness multipoint measurement system for understanding hardness distribution on biological body surfaces, we investigated the spring strength of the contact portion main axis of a biological tissue hardness meter (product name: PEK). METHODS: We measured the hardness of three-layered sheets of six types of gel sheets (90 mm × 60 mm × 6 mm) constituting the acupuncture practice pads, with PEK measurements of 1.96 N, 2.94 N, 3...

BACKGROUND: Although various treatments for breast cancer related lymphedema exist, there is still a need for a more effective and convenient approach. Pilot studies and our clinical observations suggested that acupuncture may be a potential option. This study aims to verify the effectiveness of acupuncture on BCRL and evaluate its safety using a rigorously designed trial. METHODS/DESIGN: Women who are clinically diagnosed as unilateral BCRL, with a 10% to 40% increase in volume compared to the unaffected arm, will be recruited...

Background: The use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) by breast cancer patients is growing. Few studies have examined the complexity of breast cancer survivors' attitudes, lived experiences, barriers, and perceptions in using TCM as part of their treatment journey. This article examines breast cancer survivors' experiences, perceptions of, and benefits (or not) in using TCM. Methods: Qualitative research, using semi-structured interviews, was the chosen methodology. Results: Participants used TCM as a form of self-help and as a complement, not an alternative, to standard care...

BACKGROUND: Many breast cancer patients suffer from hot flush and medical menopause as side effects of treatment. Some patients undergo acupuncture, rather than hormone therapy, to relieve these symptoms, but the efficacy of acupuncture is uncertain. This meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of acupuncture on hot flush and menopause symptoms in women with breast cancer. METHODS: A literature search was performed, following the PRISMA Statement and without language restrictions, of 7 databases from inception through March 2017...

PURPOSE: The growing popularity and acceptance of integrative medicine is evident both among patients and among the oncologists treating them. As little data are available regarding health-care professionals' knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to the topic, a nationwide online survey was designed. METHODS: Over a period of 11 weeks (from July 15 to September 30, 2014) a self-administered, 17-item online survey was sent to all 676 members of the Research Group on Gynecological Oncology (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynäkologische Onkologie) in the German Cancer Society...

Acupuncture is an alternative medical therapy and widely practiced in Northeast Asia. Although it is known as a safe procedure, complications including infection, pneumothorax, hemorrhage, and cardiac tamponade have been reported. The authors present a rare case of fatal acute peritonitis due to penetration of acupuncture needles directly into the abdominal and pelvic cavity. The victim was a 55-year-old woman who had a recent history of chemo-radiotherapy due to breast cancer. She was collapsed three days after receiving acupuncture...

Answer questions and earn CME/CNE Patients with breast cancer commonly use complementary and integrative therapies as supportive care during cancer treatment and to manage treatment-related side effects. However, evidence supporting the use of such therapies in the oncology setting is limited. This report provides updated clinical practice guidelines from the Society for Integrative Oncology on the use of integrative therapies for specific clinical indications during and after breast cancer treatment, including anxiety/stress, depression/mood disorders, fatigue, quality of life/physical functioning, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, lymphedema, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, pain, and sleep disturbance...

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of non-pharmacological therapies for hot flushes (HFs) in women with breast cancer (BC). METHODS: Nine databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), China Biology Medicine (CBM), and Wan Fang Database) were searched from their inceptions to October 2016. We also hand-searched reference lists of reviews and included articles, reviewed conference proceedings, and contacted experts...

PURPOSE: Aromatase inhibitor (AI)-induced arthralgia (AIA) is a common side effect that may lead to premature discontinuation of effective hormonal therapy in patients with breast cancer. Acupuncture may relieve joint pain in patients with AIA. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in pain relief in AIA. METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases and the ClinicalTrials...

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a kind of gynecological disease that causes amenorrhea, infertility, menopause and urogenital symptoms. Currently hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most popular choice for women with POF to get rid of menopausal syndrome. However, as the popularization of Chinese herbs made Chinese medicine (CM) shine new lights, physicians are able to treat POF with both meno-herbs and integrated therapy. HRT has its own indications and contraindications. For example, unexplained vaginal bleeding, acute liver damage, liver dysfunction, vascular embolization, and breast cancer are all contraindications of HRT, and CM is taken by more physicians as an adjuvant therapy...

Aromatase Inhibitors (AI) are widely used for the adjuvant treatment of hormone receptor positive breast cancers in the post-menopausal population. AI are often associated with significant joint and muscular symptoms; symptoms that are commonly referred to as aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal syndrome (AIMSS). AIMSS adversely impacts health-related quality of life of many patients, and reduces AI compliance. Although there are informal practice recommendations, the limited current level of evidence for management of AIMSS for breast cancer patients on aromatase inhibitors has made development of formal guidelines challenging, and remains an unmet need...

BACKGROUND: Treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), which affects approximately 30% to 40% of patients treated with neuropathy-causing agents, is mainly symptomatic. Currently available interventions are of little benefit. STUDY DESIGN: This study was conducted as a retrospective analysis of the efficacy of acupuncture and reflexology in alleviating CIPN in breast cancer patients. METHODS: Medical records of 30 consecutive breast cancer patients who received both chemotherapy and treatment for CIPN according to our Acupuncture and Reflexology Treatment for Neuropathy (ART-N) protocol between 2011 and 2012 were reviewed...