Treatment of Hot Flushes in Breast Cancer Patients with Acupuncture

2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emad Tukmachi
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Hormone Replacement ◽  
Hot Flushes ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
End Of Treatment ◽  
Suitable Treatment ◽  
Body Acupuncture ◽  
Hormone Sensitive ◽  
Post Menopausal

A common treatment for post-menopausal hot flushes is to raise oestrogen levels with hormone replacement therapy. However this option is not considered suitable for breast cancer patients with hormone sensitive carcinoma, since an increase in oestrogen is contraindicated. This leaves little available as an effective conventional therapy. There has been some evidence that acupuncture is a suitable treatment for hot flushes, so a series of 22 consecutive breast cancer patients referred by an oncologist for treatment of hot flushes were given a course of classical body acupuncture with two 20–30min treatment sessions per week for up to 7 weeks. The frequency of recorded hot flushes (both day and night) had improved significantly (p<0.001) by the end of treatment. All patients claimed some benefit and 82% had effective relief.

Hair Loss Prevention by a Scalp Cooling Device in Early Breast Cancer Patients: The Poliambulanza Preliminary Experience

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiziana Prochilo ◽  
Alessandra Huscher ◽  
Federica Andreis ◽  
Mara Mirandola ◽  
Elisabetta Zaina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Hair Loss ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Hair Follicles ◽  
Common Side Effect ◽  
Scalp Cooling ◽  
Breast Cancer Patients ◽  
Cooling Device ◽  
End Of Treatment

Background: The most effective agents in the treatment of breast cancer have a common side effect, the hair loss. Some studies reported a reduction of hair loss with the use of the scalp cooling device. Indeed, it decreases the drug accumulation in the hair follicles. We report our preliminary experience with a scalp cooling device in reducing chemotherapy-induced alopecia and related distress in breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy. </P><P> Methods: Hair loss grading and treatment tolerability were evaluated during chemotherapy every 21 days and 3 weeks after the last cycle of chemotherapy via Dean’s scale by patients and operators and a comfort analogic scale by patients. We administered the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaire at the baseline and at the end of treatment to assess the distress related to chemotherapy- induced alopecia. Results: Among the 46 patients identified, 27 accepted the device. The eligible chemotherapy regimens included docetaxel+cyclophosphamide (TC), doxorubicin+cyclophosphamide (AC) and paclitaxel (P) weekly+trastuzumab (T). 24 pts (89%) completed the treatment; 3 pts (11%) treated with AC prematurely interrupted use of the scalp-cooling device due to inefficacy. After the last cycle of chemotherapy, the number of patient who perceived a HL < grade 2 was 16 (59%). The hair retention reported by operators has been higher (78%). 81.5% of patients well tolerated the treatment. Conclusion: In our study, the scalp-cooling device reduced chemotherapy-induced alopecia in taxane- based chemotherapy. Furthermore, it suggests a discordance in hair loss perception between patients and operators.

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