Menopausal Symptom Management With Acupuncture For Women With Breast Cancer

Background: Hormone therapy is often used for menopausal symptoms, yet non hormonal interventions are the focus when treating menopausal symptoms induced by chemotherapy. A significant need exists for menopausal symptom relief for women following treatment for breast cancer. Objective: To test acupuncture for menopausal symptom relief for women following treatment for breast cancer as well as changes in ovarian hormones and quality of life. Setting: The study was conducted through the Yale University. Data were collected in the General Clinical Research Center at Yale. Methods/Design: Randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial study. Participants: 39 women experiencing hot flashes following treatment for breast cancer were assigned to one of three groups: Specific Acupuncture (n=16), Non Specific Acupuncture (n=17), or Enhanced Usual Care (n=6). Intervention: The experimental treatment consisted of specific acupuncture points related to menopausal symptoms. The placebo treatment in this study consisted of acupuncture at points identified as irrelevant to the symptoms of menopause. The control group received educational materials related to symptom management and healthy life activities. Primary Outcome Measures: Hot flash frequency over time, quality of life, and ovarian hormone levels. Results: Both acupuncture groups demonstrated a reduced average number of hot flashes; the control group did not show a reduction in hot flashes. The Specific Acupuncture group experienced an average of three hot flashes fewer per day at study end, compared to the control group. There was no significant difference in average quality of life scores across the three groups. The average difference in ovarian hormone measurements across time was not different (p=0.542). Conclusion: All women in the study experienced reduction in hot flash frequency with greater reduction in the acupuncture groups, suggesting participants benefited from study membership. It may be that symptom monitoring by daily symptom recording impacts symptom perception in a positive way.