Recovering from breast cancer and living in Toronto and surrounding areas? Do check out this new research paper on acupuncture for cancer! Hillgreen’s founder Pauline Hwang just published a paper in the Annals of Palliative Medicine. The paper was written in collaboration with colleagues at Insight Naturopathic Clinic in Toronto, and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
The journal article is available here for anyone to read (it’s open source, so no paywall!). It reviews research into the role that integrative medicine (e.g. acupuncture, diet, exercise, supplements, massage, yoga, meditation, etc.) can play in supporting breast cancer survivors.
What can Acupuncture help breast cancer survivors with
Our research showed evidence that acupuncture can help with joint pain, hot flashes, night sweats, neuropathic pain, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. The joint pain might be caused by aromatase inhibitors (e.g. letrozole, anastrazole, tamoxifen, etc.) and other therapies.
Here’s a couple excerpts from the acupuncture section:
Vasomotor symptoms
Hot flashes and night sweats, known as vasomotor symptoms, are common side effects of breast cancer treatments like chemotherapy or endocrine therapy. Hypnotherapy is one of the non-pharmacologic treatments recommended by guidelines for managing vasomotor symptoms (54). Acupuncture appears to be a promising treatment for hot flashes in women with breast cancer, with minimal side effects, as indicated by several RCTs (55–58). A systematic review found that acupuncture significantly improved hot flashes in cancer patients across all eight studies analyzed (59).
Neuropathic pain
The 2022 SIO-ASCO integrative medicine cancer pain guideline recommended that “Acupuncture may be offered to patients experiencing CIPN from cancer treatment” (46). This recommendation was based on two systematic reviews and seven RCTs, with small sample sizes studying the effect of acupuncture on reducing CIPN symptoms. Most studies showed a benefit of acupuncture for CIPN pain, without major toxicities. A phase IIB trial involving 75 cancer survivors experiencing moderate to severe CIPN found that acupuncture significantly reduced pain compared to usual care, with a trend toward reduction compared to sham acupuncture (60). However, the small sample size and potential biases in the studies led to a low level of evidence supporting these findings. An ongoing phase III RCT is comparing acupuncture to sham acupuncture in reducing CIPN pain.
Much more research in oncology-focused Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture had to be skipped over, as there was only so much space in this paper, but we were proud to have shared the latest evidence-based updates with you all.
In addition to showing the benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture for cancer survivors, the paper also includes dietary and exercise suggestions. The benefits of mindfulness, yoga, massage and supplements are also discussed.
Integrative Medicine for Breast Cancer Survivors
Here’s the abstract of the whole journal article:
Integrative medicine use is prevalent among breast cancer survivors to improve lifestyle and manage symptoms associated with cancer or its treatment. This review provides an overview of integrative therapies used for lifestyle improvement and symptom management in breast cancer patients, including diet and exercise recommendations, mind-body approaches including mindfulness-based intervention, acupuncture, yoga, massage, and dietary supplements. A balanced diet with an emphasis on plant-based foods and limited consumption of red meat, processed meats, alcohol, and refined sugar is recommended for cancer patients and survivors. Physical activity is also important, with recommendations of 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily, aiming for 150 minutes per week. Mind-body approaches such as meditation, yoga have been shown to improve emotional self-regulation, anxiety, depression, and other symptoms. Acupuncture has demonstrated potential benefits for aromatase inhibitor-induced musculoskeletal symptoms, hot flashes, peripheral neuropathy, and fatigue. Massage may help address pain, anxiety, stress, and improve quality of life (QoL). Supplement use should be approached with caution, especially during active treatment, due to potential interactions with cancer therapies. The review highlights the role of specialized integrative medicine practitioners, such as naturopathic doctors and acupuncturists, in safely incorporating these therapies into standard cancer care. This collaborative approach supports survivors’ diverse needs and empowers them to actively participate in their recovery, ultimately improving health outcomes and QoL. Integrative therapy programs within cancer care institutions can provide structure, guidance, and support for patients to safely incorporate these modalities into their treatment and recovery plans.
For more information on how Hillgreen can be part of your integrative cancer recovery, call us at 416-890-7770 or request a free consultation today by filling in the form below!