NCT03783546

Acupuncture for Hot Flashes in Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer, a Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 84 (actual)
• Sponsor: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This research study is evaluating acupuncture, a medical therapy in which hair-thin, stainless steel needles are shallowly inserted into specific points to help the body's natural healing process, as a possible treatment to reduce hot flashes.

Detailed description

Hot flashes are a sensation of sudden onset of body warmth, flushing and sweating. Hot flashes are common side effects of breast cancer treatments and can affect mood and daily life. Medications can help ease hot flashes, but many patients continue to experience symptoms despite these treatments. Acupuncture is a complementary therapy in which, hair-thin, sterile disposable needles are inserted into various spots on the skin, with the goal of affecting body's natural healing system. Acupuncture has been tested in clinical trials in cancer patients and has been shown to be helpful in treating a number of side effects of cancer treatment, such as nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy. A few early studies have suggested that acupuncture may help to lessen hot flashes, but more information is needed about the benefits of acupuncture in breast cancer patients. This study is being done to test whether acupuncture can help to reduce the number and intensity of hot flashes in breast cancer patients who are being treated with mediations such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors, such as anastrozole (Arimidex), exemestane (Aromasin), and letrozole (Femara).

Conditions

• Breast Cancer

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Acupuncture	Acupuncture is a complementary therapy in which, hair-thin, sterile disposable needles are inserted into various spots on your skin, with the goal of affecting body's natural healing system
OTHER	Usual Care	the current standard of care with non-hormonal pharmacotherapy of western medicine

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-01-15
• Primary completion: 2022-01-31
• Completion: 2022-01-31
• First posted: 2018-12-21
• Last updated: 2026-03-09
• Results posted: 2024-07-18

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated device study