Acupuncture is the savior of breast cancer?

September 22, 2008, a new study shows that acupuncture can ease the use of tamoxifen and anastrozole for breast cancer patients with chemotherapy side effects, such as hot flashes and night sweats.

In clinical trials, the researchers observed that anti-estrogen therapy in alleviating the side effects, the acupuncture and commonly used antidepressants as effective as venlafaxine.

Venlafaxine may be effective, but also has its own troubling side effects, but acupuncture does not. Elena who led the study. Volcker said, she was the U.S. city of Detroit, Henry. Ford Hospital (Henry Ford Hospital) oncology radiologist.

“In regard to ease hot flashes, acupuncture and medication can achieve the same effect, but it does not have side effects, and can improve patient’s quality of life,” Walker said.

Speaking of acupuncture we Chinese people are familiar with, which is based on the meridian theory of Chinese medicine in the relevant the relevant position on the meridian points, or points, with a very thin needle into the skin. Chinese believe that these meridians are refined gas delivery channels, while Western medicine’s anatomy, and did not find the appropriate channels exist, but the clinical results showed that the exact.

Walker and her colleagues examined a total of 47 women, these breast cancer patients taking tamoxifen after breast cancer surgery or chemotherapy Anastrozole, each woman reported that in a week during which they experienced at least 14 times hot flashes.

47 women, half were treated with venlafaxine for 12 weeks, while the other half received acupuncture. The two groups after treatment of patients with hot flashes and other menopause symptoms have clear mitigation, and the two groups are rare in patients with depressive symptoms.

However, taking venlafaxine side effects in patients is also very clear that venlafaxine side effects include nausea, dry mouth, headache, difficulty falling asleep, dizziness, double vision, blood pressure, constipation, fatigue, weakness, anxiety, isolation and the sense of sleep when limb spasticity.

Women who received acupuncture were no such side effects, and they reported that they added a lot of energy, think clearly, there is no decline in sexual performance, in general high quality of life.

The results of these studies did not allow a doctor of acupuncture licensed Janet Konefal surprised, she was vice president of the University of Miami School of Medicine.

“We are in the school affiliated cancer centers to carry out acupuncture treatment for patients has been 10 years,” she said.

She said that acupuncture can not only ease the anti-estrogen drug adverse reactions, but also alleviate the other chemotherapy drugs and radiation therapy side effects.

“Acupuncture can help people to conditioning the body, although it can not replace the therapeutic effect of drugs, but it can provide a strong supportive role in helping your treatment more effective.”

Volcker said that in the United States, most cancer patients are able to provide acupuncture treatment for a comprehensive treatment of the health sector.

“Obviously, people are aware of its role,” Walker said, “Women are trying to persuade insurance companies, Medicare will be incorporated into the context of acupuncture, it is clear that acupuncture should be much cheaper than therapy.”

Acupuncture and sexual function

Most women who suffer hot flashes are not troubled by the crowd taking anticancer drugs, but because they are in menopause. Acupuncture with these people so that can benefit from the Volcker and Konefal said.

“We are looking for a way for perimenopausal women, feel more energetic and healthy as before”, Konefal said.

To improve and improve these women’s sexual function is a very important part of their goal of 1.

“Acupuncture can be done”, Konefal said, “It increases the blood flow to the reproductive system, we are bringing acupuncture applied to reproductive diseases. When women decided to in vitro fertilization, we suggested that she received acupuncture treatment, in order to increase in uterine and ovarian blood supply, which can increase the survival chances of embryo implantation. ”

Similarly, acupuncture can also improve male sexual function. Volcker said that acupuncture can alleviate the chemical orchiectomy (ie, the eradication of drugs used to achieve the purpose of testicular function, which is equivalent anatomical level have already orchiectomy) and adverse reactions, namely, androgen deprivation.

Volcker her findings in the United States Society of Radiation Oncology 50th annual meeting reported that the annual meeting on September 21-25 was held in Boston, USA.