Effect of acupuncture in myelosuppression and quality of life in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy: a randomized clinical study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on myelosuppression and quality of life in women with breast cancer during treatment with anthracyclines (ANT).

METHODS: Women with indication for ANT chemotherapy were randomized into two groups: acupuncture group (AG) and control group (CG). A quality of life questionnaire (FACT-G) and peripheral blood levels of the participants were evaluated before and at the end of treatment. The AG was submitted to an acupuncture intervention, starting before the first chemotherapy infusion, and continuing throughout the treatment.

RESULTS: A total of 26 women were randomized into 2 groups: AG (10) and CG (16). Of these, 26.9% had a dense dose indication according to the service's protocol for the administration of granulocyte-stimulating factor (G-CSF) from the first cycle, not participating in the analysis. The need for secondary prophylaxis with G-CSF occurred in 72.7% in the control group versus 12% in the acupuncture group. Regarding quality of life (QoL), it was observed that the groups did not initially differ from each other. At the end of the treatment, there was a significant difference in the AG for the physical (GP) (p-value=0.011), social/family (GS) (p-value=0.018), and functional (GF) (p-value=0.010) domains, regarding the initial and final FACT-G showed a difference between the groups, where the GA average at the end rose from 80.68 to 90.12 (p-value = 0.004) and in the CG the average dropped from 81.95 to 70.59 (p-value=0.003).

CONCLUSION: Acupuncture was efficient in the secondary prophylaxis of myelosuppression during chemotherapy and the quality of life of women during treatment has increased.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials - Rebec on 06/28/2018, registration number U1111-1216-3921, Rebec Trial RBR-7BWJ6R.