Acupuncture Treatment Modulates Serum Metabolites And Metabolic Pathway Changes In Crf Mice After Chemotherapy For Bc
Untargeted metabolomics analysis based on LCMS was applied to investigate serum metabolite fluctuations in each group. Principal component analysis was used to detect trends and outliers in the serum metabolome and the results suggested that the PCA distribution did not show any significant trends or differences between groups . Therefore, to determine the real differences between the groups before and after acupuncture treatment, and to screen for effective differential metabolites, we used the statistical method of orthogonal projections to latent structures-discriminant analysis to analyze the results of each group. As shown in the OPLS-DA score plots, the metabolites in the model group were significantly different from those in the control group , and the metabolites in the acu group were also significantly different from those in the model and sham groups . At the same time, there was good model fit and predictability between groups . In addition, to describe the changes in metabolites between groups, volcano plots were analyzed. In comparison of the acu and model groups, there were more metabolites that were significantly upregulated than those that were significantly downregulated . At the same time, the acu group also showed significantly more upregulated metabolites than significantly downregulated metabolites than the sham group. .
Consensus About How To Evaluate Bcrl Severity
Many factors prevent firm conclusions at this time. First, the topic ofacupuncture in BCRL is still new with few studies, only half with control arms.Second, there is no consensus on how to evaluate the severity of BCRL except formeasuring arm circumference, the method adopted by most studies. Armcircumference is the most intuitive and measurable data to collect nevertheless, there will be some bias in measuring in terms of the measurelevels and timing. In this systematic review, we note that Bao et al23 chose bioimpedance between the affected and unaffected arms as anobjective measurement. Bioimpedance, defined as the ability of biological tissueto impede an electric current, has been a reliable and accurate tool fordocumenting the presence of lymphedema since early 2000, with some studies evenusing it to detect subclinical BCRL before and after surgery.29 Although it is noninvasive, ways to interpret bioimpedance vary andbioimpedance has been applied in a wide range of clinical settings.25 Bioimpedance has been used clinically to estimate and evaluate body composition.30 Although only one study in our review adapted this method, it may be morewidely used in the future to provide a more objective measure than armcircumference.
Effectiveness Of Acupuncture In Breast Cancer Patients And Suggested Acupoints
3.3.1. Cancer-Related Hot Flushes
Twelve trials explored the effect of acupuncture on vasomotor syndrome , including eight RCTs and four single-group pre-post comparisons. Daily flush frequency was the main outcome measure. All the studies used self-administrated questionnaires to measure this effect. Some trials also used the Kupperman Index to score climacteric symptoms. Most studies used six or more acupoints of which SP6 was the most commonly used. A course of acupuncture treatment has been found to reduce hot flushes associated with normal menopause and also from hormonal treatments for cancer. Studies found that acupuncture reduced hot flushes by up to 60% in women treated with tamoxifen for breast cancer . Those in the acupuncture group additionally reported improved libido, increased energy, and improved clarity of thought and sense of well-being. Furthermore, the acupuncture group reported no adverse side effects. An algorithm has been developed for the long-term treatment of hot flushes, with the observed effects of the initial course of treatment maintained for up to 6 years by weekly self-needling at SP6 or by using semipermanent needles . For self-needling, patients require clear demonstration of cleansing, insertion, and safe disposal .
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Understanding The Benefits Of Acupuncture Treatment For Cancer Pain Management
This article reviews how acupuncture is thought to work, data on acupuncture for managing pain caused by cancer or by cancer treatment, how acupuncture is practiced in the US medical system, discussion of safety issues, and practical tips on how to integrate acupuncture into cancer care.
This article summarizes the current evidence regarding the use of acupuncture for pain management in cancer patients. It includes a description of how acupuncture is thought to work and what the intervention entails, data on acupuncture for managing pain caused by cancer or by cancer treatment , how acupuncture is practiced in the US medical system, discussion of safety issues, and practical tips on how to integrate acupuncture into cancer care.
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Acupuncture Treatment Exerts An Anti
We first used FST and OFT experiments to explore the fatigue-like behavior of mice in each group after tumor-bearing plus chemotherapy and after acupuncture intervention. Compared with the control group, the forced swimming immobility time in the tumor-bearing plus chemotherapy group increased in the FST . In the OFT, both the total distance travelled and the time spent in the central area decreased in the model group . Then, we determined whether acupuncture intervention had an anti-fatigue effect. Compared to the model group, the immobility time of forced swimming in the acupuncture group significantly decreased in the FST , and the total distance travelled and the time spent in the central area in the OFL significantly increased , while there was no difference between the sham acupuncture group and the model group in the FST and OFT . Meanwhile, compared with the sham group, the forced swimming immobility time of the acu group was also significantly shortened in the FST and the total distance travelled and the time spent in the central area in the OFT were significantly elevated in the OFT . These data suggested that acupuncture treatment had anti-fatigue effects in CRF mice after chemotherapy for BC.
Acupuncture For Nausea And Vomiting Due To Chemotherapy
Several studies looked at how acupuncture could help with nausea and vomiting when it was due to chemotherapy. In the studies, many people wore acupressure wrist bands . The wrist bands apply pressure to acupuncture points on the wrist. Most of these studies showed that acupressure might help with nausea and vomiting. But more good quality evidence was needed.
Another form of acupuncture is called auricular therapy. This is also called ear acupuncture. This uses needles in the ear to help with different symptoms. One of these is nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy. A study showed that more evidence is needed before saying it works.
A systematic review in 2017 looked at acupuncture in people with breast cancer. It showed that doctors could use acupuncture with other anti-sickness medication. And that it could have a real benefit in helping with nausea and vomiting.
A small study has looked at using acupuncture to reduce symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. Symptoms may include:
- sensation changes in the hands and feet
The study had a positive result, but it only had 47 patients take part.
The ACUFOCIN trial is looking at acupuncture for people with peripheral neuropathy. This is for people who have had chemotherapy for:
- a type of blood cancer called myeloma
- gastro intestinal cancer such as stomach cancer
Hot flushes and sweats are a common side effect of treatment. This is in people having treatment for breast, prostate or womb cancers.
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Pain Relief Continued After Treatments Ended
The clinical trial was led by the NCI-funded SWOG clinical trials group and carried out at 11 sites that participate in the NCI Community Oncology Research Program . The 226 women in the trial were all taking a third-generation aromatase inhibitoranastrozole ®, letrozole ®, or exemestane ®after surgery for early-stage HR-positive breast cancer and were randomly assigned to receive true acupuncture, sham acupuncture , or no treatment.
Sham acupuncture involves shallow insertion of short, thin needles at non-acupuncture points.
All acupuncturists involved in the study were licensed and were rigorously trained on site by an acupuncturist on the study team. They were monitored for quality of care throughout the study.
To be enrolled in the study, women could not have taken opioid or corticosteroid drugs or received any alternative or physical therapy for AI-related joint pain in the past 4 weeks. Notably, Dr. Hershman said, 80% of the patients in the study were taking over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen for joint pain without experiencing relief.
Roughly half of the study participants received true acupuncture twice a week for 6 weeks, followed by once-a-week maintenance sessions for 6 more weeks. The other half were in one of two control groups: 59 received sham acupuncture on the same schedule as the true acupuncture group, and the remaining 57 received no treatment.
Acupuncture Can Treat Gambling Addiction
4 weeks ago
Background: Acupuncture is commonly used for cancer-related conditions worldwide, and evidence is increasing year on year. There is a need to summarize the evidence of acupuncture for cancer-related conditions comprehensively and critically.
Objective: To evaluate and summarize the systematic reviews that assess the effects and safety of acupuncture for cancer-related conditions, and to inform clinical practice and future studies.
Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted on Pubmed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, VIP, Sinomed, and Wanfang from their inception to October 16, 2021. SRs of randomized controlled trials on acupuncture for cancer-related conditions were to be included. Two reviewers screened the eligible articles, and four reviewers in pair extracted data and assessed the methodological quality/risk of bias of all included reviews by AMSTAR 2 and ROBIS tools. The overlap of primary studies was measured by calculating corrected covered areas. Data from the included reviews were synthesized with a summary of meta-analysis or narrative description.
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Acupuncture And Pain Control
Some research reviews have shown positive results for acupuncture in controlling pain.
Several small studies showed that acupuncture can help with joint pain and stiffness. Joint pain is a common side effect of aromatase inhibitors. These are a type of hormone treatment for breast cancer.
In 2015, researchers looked at trials using acupuncture for cancer pain. They found that it was not possible to tell if acupuncture had helped. This was because of problems with the trial designs.
Another recent review in 2021 found that acupuncture and painkillers helped to reduce pain. This was compared to using painkillers alone.
Acupressure uses fingers to press on pressure points around the body. This is supposed to relieve pain in muscles. Some research has been done into acupressure and pain control for cancer pain. These studies were unreliable as they only had small numbers.
A systematic review in 2017 looked at the use of complementary therapies. This means that a group of experts gather all the evidence about a particular subject. They then go through it to work out whether there is any evidence to support it. The review was in people with breast cancer. It showed that acupuncture had a small benefit in treating pain.
Which Integrative Therapies Help And Which Dont
The ASCO panel weighed in on a number of therapies letter grades reflected the amount of scientific evidence and efficacy.
Grade A and B recommendations reflected a âhigh certaintyâ that the net benefits were either substantial or moderate and advised oncologists to offer the therapy. Grade C therapies should be âselectively offeredâ to individual patients based on professional judgment and patient preferences Grade D therapies were found to offer no net benefit and were discouraged. Grade H therapies were found to be likely harmful and also discouraged and Grade I showed insufficient evidence for any kind of recommendation either way.
How did the various therapies rank?
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Acupuncture For A Dry Mouth
Acupuncture is used for a dry mouth . This is in people having radiotherapy for head and neck cancers. Some people have it for pain and dry mouth after neck surgery or a dry mouth in advanced cancer.
A review study in 2021 said that acupuncture was a safe treatment. It suggested that doctors could use it as a complementary therapy in palliative care. This is if the usual treatments didnt work. Palliative care means having treatment that helps to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
In 2013, a small trial looked at how 145 patients felt after having a course of acupuncture to help with dry mouth. These patients had had radiotherapy to their head and neck. They found it made a difference. And gave patients relief from their dry mouth.
A systematic review study in 2018 looked at how well acupuncture worked for a dry mouth caused by different conditions. It included a dry mouth caused by radiotherapy treatment for cancer. The researchers found that there was not enough evidence to say that acupuncture is a treatment for a dry mouth.
Acupuncture For Cancer Symptoms & Side Effects
A growing base of scientific evidence supports the use of acupuncture as a complementary treatment for cancer patients. Alongside prescribed medications, acupuncture has shown promise in reducing pain and other side effects from cancer and cancer treatments. Please read more about the benefits of acupuncture for cancer patients in the articles weve gathered below.
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What A Typical Treatment Is Like
Before your acupuncture session, your acupuncturist will ask you about your current health. They will also examine you. For example, they will look at your tongue and check your pulse. In traditional Chinese medicine, its felt that many conditions and your general health can be evaluated by examining your tongue .
You may be asked to change into a gown , and lie down on a comfortable table. Your acupuncturist will then wipe the areas of your skin with alcohol before placing the needles. The needles that are used are about as thin as hair and most people feel little, if any, discomfort during the procedure.
You can expect to have between 5 and 20 needles placed in your skin, and sometimes your acupuncturist will twirl them slightly as they are placed. The needles will then be left in place for 15 to 30 minutes.
When the procedure is done, you may not feel any different than when you arrived, although some people feel relaxed and others feel energized.
Risk Of Bias Assessment
The risks of bias in the included studies were assessed using the Cochrane Collaborations tool for assessing the risk of bias in randomized controlled trials . The tool covered 7 domains, and we considered that a high-quality study should have a low risk of bias in critical domains including the random sequence generation, blinding of participants and outcome assessment, incomplete outcome data, and selective reporting.
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Search Strategy And Study Selection
The search for eligible articles was undertaken in three English databases and four Chinese databases from the launching to May 2020, and updated the literature to September, 2020. The medical subject headings and free text-word terms of breast cancer and acupuncture were used in combination as research terms. Appendix S1 in the Supplementary Materials show the search strategy in the seven databases above. Furthermore, we checked the references listed in the included articles for additional qualifiers.
We included RCTs investigating the effect of acupuncture on complications associated with BC treatment in adult females who were diagnosed with BC of any tumor stage on pathology. These RCTs consisted of various acupuncture techniques with a needle, such as hand acupuncture and electroacupuncture, sham/placebo acupuncture, pharmacotherapy, no intervention or usual care as the controls, and reported the PROs. The exclusion criteria were as follows: 1) only included males 2) patients enrolled with other cancers, or with combination or mixed cancers, but data on participants suffering from breast cancer-related sequelae could not be extracted 3) enrolling patients with no breast cancer-related sequelae 4) published as quasi-RCTs, cohort studies, case-control studies, cross-sectional studies, animal studies, case series and case reports 5) not approved by an ethics committee.
Characteristics And Risk Bias Of The Eligible Studies
Of the 2,094 eligible patients in the 33 articles , 1,091 patients received acupuncture and 1,003 received control strategies acupuncture 474, no intervention 326, usual care 95, medicine 89, others 19). Twelve articles came from the USA, seven from China, three from Australia, three from Sweden, two from United Kingdom and the remaining seven articles were from seven different countries. Nine articles were centered on musculoskeletal symptoms, seven on hot flashes, five on cancer-related fatigue, four on vasomotor symptoms, and the remaining six articles on peripheral neuropathy , cognitive impairment , chronic lymphedema , and physical and functional disorders , respectively. Patients enrolled in the eligible studies underwent acupuncture once or twice a week for 4 to 12 weeks, and each session lasted anywhere from 20 to 30 mins. The characteristics of the eligible studies are presented in Appendix S2 in Supplementary Materials.
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Acupuncture May Reduce Lymphedema In Breast Cancer
For women with early breast cancer, determining whether the cancer has spread to the axillary lymph nodes is an important part of cancer stagingand this process often involves a sentinel lymph node biopsy, as the sentinel nodes are the first lymph nodes to which cancer is likely to spread. If the sentinel nodes contain cancer, women often undergo more extensive lymph node surgery . One common side effect of axillary lymph node surgery is lymphedema of the armswelling of the arm due to an accumulation of lymph fluid.
Lymphedema may occur immediately after treatment, or it may arise weeks, months or even years later. Approximately 30 percent of breast cancer survivors are affected by arm lymphedema. The condition can be painful, inconvenient, and sometimes downright debilitating. There is no single treatment for lymphedema, but there are a variety of strategies that can be used to manage the condition. These strategies are expensive and often require ongoing intervention.
In an effort to identify alternative treatment strategies, researchers conducted a pilot study that included 33 patients who had undergone axillary surgery and had a clinical diagnosis of breast cancer-related arm lymphedema for 6 months to 5 years. All participants had an affected arm circumference that was two or more centimeters larger than the unaffected arm.
The researchers concluded that acupuncture for breast cancer-related lymphedema appears safe and effective and may reduce arm circumference.