title: Acupuncture for the treatment of hot flashes in patients with breast cancer receiving antiestrogen therapy: a pilot study in Korean women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective single-arm observational study using before and after measurements.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was located at the East-West Medical Center at Daegu Catholic University Medical Center, Daegu, Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were 10 patients with breast cancer who were undergoing antiestrogen therapy with tamoxifen or anastrozole and who were suffering from hot flashes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acupuncture was administered 3 times a week for 4 consecutive weeks, for 20±5 minutes at each session.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
authors: Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu, Korea.
authors: Young Ju
authors: YJ
authors: Jeong
authors: Young Sun
authors: YS
authors: Park
authors: Hyo Jung
authors: HJ
authors: Kwon
authors: Im Hee
authors: IH
authors: Shin
authors: Jin Gu
authors: JG
authors: Bong
authors: Sung Hwan
authors: SH
authors: Park
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000077384:Anastrozole; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009570:Nitriles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014230:Triazoles / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; D013629:Tamoxifen; D000077384:Anastrozole
references: Exp Gerontol. 1994 May-Aug;29(3-4):319-36
references: 7925752
references: J Adv Nurs. 1994 Apr;19(4):782-91
references: 8021401
references: Climacteric. 2006 Oct;9(5):336-46
references: 17000582
references: Maturitas. 1979 Feb;1(3):201-5
references: 502877
references: Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1999 Dec;48(6):853-60
references: 10594490
references: J Altern Complement Med. 2004 Jun;10(3):468-80
references: 15253851
references: Mayo Clin Proc. 2004 Jun;79(6):777-81
references: 15182093
references: J Clin Oncol. 2010 Feb 1;28(4):634-40
references: 20038728
references: Climacteric. 2004 Jun;7(2):153-64
references: 15497904
references: J Clin Oncol. 2000 Jul;18(13):2505-14
references: 10893280
references: Ann Oncol. 2005 Apr;16(4):655-63
references: 15699021
references: Lancet. 2004 Feb 7;363(9407):453-5
references: 14962527
references: Menopause. 2008 Nov-Dec;15(6):1070-8
references: 18528313
references: J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Oct;16(10):1047-57
references: 20954961
references: Menopause. 2007 Jan-Feb;14(1):45-52
references: 17019380
references: Climacteric. 2008 Apr;11(2):166-74
references: 18365859
references: Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2012 Oct;135(3):791-8
references: 21153699
references: Palliat Med. 2002 May;16(3):235-9
references: 12047000
references: Menopause. 2009 Jul-Aug;16(4):653-9
references: 19455068
references: Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2009 Jul;116(2):311-6
references: 18839306
references: Cancer. 1998 May 1;82(9):1682-91
references: 9576289
references: Tumori. 2002 Mar-Apr;88(2):128-30
references: 12088252
references: Ann Intern Med. 2002 Nov 19;137(10):805-13
references: 12435217
references: Climacteric. 2005 Sep;8(3):243-50
references: 16390756
references: J Altern Complement Med. 2008 Sep;14(7):861-9
references: 18803495
references: J Korean Acad Nurs. 2010 Dec;40(6):765-74
references: 21336011
references: Pain. 2000 Jun;86(3):217-225
references: 10812251
references: Obstet Gynecol. 2004 Dec;104(6):1322-6
references: 15572497
references: Menopause Int. 2010 Jun;16(2):81-8
references: 20729500
references: J Natl Cancer Inst. 2011 May 4;103(9):714-36
references: 21454908
references: Ann Intern Med. 2002 Mar 5;136(5):374-83
references: 11874310
references: J Clin Oncol. 2007 Dec 10;25(35):5584-90
references: 18065731