October 9, 2008 – Acupuncture is believed to reduce hot flashes caused by chemotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer. This approach would be as effective as the drug usually prescribed for this purpose, reveals an American study1.
Chemotherapy and anti-estrogenic treatments aimed at fighting breast cancer trigger – in 80% of cases – very strong hot flashes, accompanied by intense and very frequent sweating. Since hormonal treatments are excluded in breast cancer to relieve these symptoms, venlafaxine, an antidepressant, is usually prescribed.
Researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit conducted a clinical trial with 47 women treated with tamoxifen or arimidex for breast cancer. Each of the participants suffered from this treatment at least 14 strong hot flashes per week.
Half of the participants were prescribed venlafaxine. The other women were entitled to two acupuncture sessions per week for three months. According to the results of the medical follow-up, which continued for a year after treatment, the two therapies were equally effective in relieving hot flashes.
The protection conferred by acupuncture treatments would have lasted longer than that provided by venlafaxine, also report the authors of the study. Women in the acupuncture group were also spared the classic side effects associated with the drug. Among the participants in the group, several reported suffering from nausea, dry mouth, headaches, insomnia, dizziness, high blood pressure, constipation, anxiety, etc.
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Against nausea Several researchers and experts have concluded that acupuncture is effective in countering nausea and vomiting associated with surgery and chemotherapy treatments, compared to placebo treatment. When it comes to post-surgical nausea and vomiting, the results are well established. In 2004, a systematic review of 26 randomized trials, including 3,347 subjects, demonstrated a reduced risk of nausea, vomiting and the use of anti-vomiting drugs following stimulation of an acupuncture point. at wrist2. |
Pierre Lefrançois – PasseportSanté.net
According to Reuters Health and ABC.
1. Walker EM, Rodriguez AI, et al. Acupuncture for the Treatment of Vasomotor Symptoms in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Hormone Suppression Treatment. Results presented at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology Annual Meeting, held in Boston on September 22, 2008.
2. Lee A, Done M. Stimulation of the wrist acupuncture point P6 for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting, Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004; 3: CD003281.
