Long term follow up of acupuncture and hormone therapy on hot flushes and well-being in women with breast cancer – a prospective, randomized multi centre trial.
Authors: Frisk J , Källström A , Wall N , Hammar M 
Published: December 2010

Abstract #2162

Background: There are few treatments for hot flushes in women with a history of breastcancer. We wanted to evaluate effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) and hormone therapy (HT) on vasomotor symptoms and wellbeing in these women.&#x2028; Material and Methods: 45 women were randomized to EA (n=27) for 12 weeks or HT (n=18) for 24 months. The number of and distress by hot flushes were registered before, during and up to 24 months after start of treatment (ast). Kupperman's Index (KI), Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ) and Psychological and General Wellbeing Index (PGWB) were recorded before, after 3 months of treatment, and at 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months ast. PGWB includes 22 questions, total score 110. WHQ has 35 questions and scores 0-1.Wilcoxon signed rank test was used for changes over time within groups. Results: 19 women completed 12 weeks of EA, and the median number of hot flushes/24h decreased from 9.6 (interquartile range (IQR)6.6-9.9) at baseline to 4.3(IQR 1.0-7.1) at 12 weeks of treatment (p&lt;0.001). At 12 months ast, 14 women with only the initial 12 weeks of EA had a median number of flushes/24 h of 4.9(IQR1.8-7.3), and at 24 months seven women with no other treatment than EA had 2.1(IQR1.6-2.8) flushes/24h. Another five women had decreased flushes by having additional EA. KI went from a median score of 24(IQR19-29;n=26) to 12(IQR 9-17;n=19) after 12 weeks of treatment (p&lt; 0.001), and was 13(IQR 10-17;n=14) at 12 months ast (p=0.002). Median PGWB changed from 78(IQR 53-89;n=26) at baseline to 79(IQR 68-93;n=19) after 12 weeks of treatment (p=0.002), and to 85(IQR 74-95;n=14;p=0.028) 12 months ast. Median total WHQ went from .32(IQR.23-.53) to .24(IQR.12-.39) after 12 weeks of treatment (p=0.000), and was .20(IQR.09-.27) 12 months ast (p=0.002). Positive effects on sleep, vasomotor symptoms and anxiety were most prominent. Eighteen women with HT had a baseline median number of flushes/24 h of 6.6(IQR:4.0-8.9), and 0.0(IQR:0.0-1.6; p=0.001) at 12 weeks. KI went from a median score of 23(IQR15-28;n=18) to 6(IQR3-9 ;n=18) after 12 weeks of treatment (p&lt;0.001), and to 6(IQR2-8 ;n=17) at 12 months ast (p=0.001). Their median PGWB changed from 75(IQR59-88;n=18) at baseline to 90(IQR62-97;n=18) after 12 weeks of treatment (p=0.102), and to 93(IQR86-97;n=17;p=0.008) 12 months ast. Median total WHQ changed from .29(IQR.15-.44) to .15 (IQR.05-.22) (p=0.001) and was .09(IQR .06-,21; p=0.000) at 12 months ast. Number of times woken up/night went from 3.2(IQR1.1-5.6) in the EA group, to 2.2(IQR0-5;p=0.009)after 12 weeks of treatment, and was 1.6(IQR.4-3.3;p=0.003) at 12 months ast. In the HT group, times woken up/night at baseline was 2.1(IQR0-3.9), and after 12 weeks of treatment 1.2(IQR0-2;p=0.006). Discussion: EA is a possible treatment of vasomotor symptoms for women with breast cancer. Although the reduction of hot flushes is stronger with HT than EA, the increase in wellbeing is similar after EA as during HT. Acupuncture should be further studied for this group of women.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 2162.