Lymphedema is a troublesome complication affecting quality of life (QoL) in many women after breast-cancer treatment. Recent studies have suggested that acupuncture can reduce symptoms of lymphedema in breast-cancer survivors. This was a pilot study. It was designed to assess the feasibility and the safety of acupuncture with the acupuncture method for treating lymphedema in Korean patients after surgical therapy for breast cancer. This was a prospective, single-arm, observational pilot study using before and after measurements. The study was conducted at the East-West Medical Center at the Daegu Catholic University Medical Center, in Daegu, Korea. The subjects were 9 patients with breast cancer who presented with lymphedema of the upper limb ipsilateral to surgery. acupuncture was administered 3 times per week for 6 consecutive weeks, for 30±5 minutes at each session.The primary outcome measure was severity of lymphedema as assessed by stages of lymphedema, a visual analogue scale (VAS), and by circumferential measurements of the upper extremity. The secondary outcome measure was QoL, which was assessed by a self-administered questionnaire using the Short Form-36 questionnaire. Acupuncture reduced severity of lymphedema significantly, as assessed by the VAS (<0.001) as well as by circumferential measurements of the upper extremity. Four weeks after the final treatment, symptoms were not aggravated. SF-36 scores remained significant for health status at the end of treatment. The acupuncture method appeared to provide reduction of lymphedema among women after they had undergone surgery for breast cancer. A randomized, controlled prospective study with a larger sample size is required to clarify the role of acupuncture for managing lymphedema in patients with breast cancer.

Objectives: Antiestrogen therapy can cause vasomotor symptoms similar to those occurring during menopause, including hot flashes. Recent studies suggest that acupuncture is effective in reducing vasomotor symptoms in patients with breast cancer receiving tamoxifen. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and safety of acupuncture for treatment of hot flashes in Korean patients with breast cancer receiving antiestrogen therapy. Design: This was a prospective single-arm observational study using before and after measurements. Settings/location: The study was located at the East-West Medical Center at Daegu Catholic University Medical Center, Daegu, Korea. Subjects: The subjects were 10 patients with breast cancer who were undergoing antiestrogen therapy with tamoxifen or anastrozole and who were suffering from hot flashes. Interventions: Acupuncture was administered 3 times a week for 4 consecutive weeks, for 20 -5 minutes at each session. Outcome measures: The outcome measure was severity of hot flashes assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) and total hot flash score. Results: During treatment, severity of hot flashes was reduced by 70%-95% in all patients. Acupuncture significantly alleviated severity of hot flashes assessed by a visual analogue scale (F = 30.261; p < 0.001) as well as the total hot flash score (F = 21.698; p = 0.006). Four (4) weeks after the final treatment, symptoms were not aggravated. Conclusions: Acupuncture appeared to provide effective relief from hot flashes among Korean women receiving antiestrogen therapy after surgery for breast cancer, and the effects lasted for at least 1 month after termination of treatment. A randomized controlled prospective study with a larger sample size is required to clarify the role of acupuncture in the management of hot flashes in Korean patients with breast cancer.

No abstract

No abstract