Hot Flushes in Breast Cancer Patients: Treatment by Acupuncture and Dietary Modification

Many women treated surgically for early breast cancer, who then undergo treatment with chemotherapy and/or Tamoxifen and/or ovarian ablation, may have vasomotor symptoms that usually continue for years. Hot flushes are brought out from the thermo-regulatory centre, and are possibly attributable to a decrease in hypothalamic opioid activity produced by low oestrogen concentrations. Acupuncture therapy stimulates hypothalamic opioid activity and relieves hot flushes. Twenty-two breast cancer women with vasomotor symptoms following chemotherapy and Tamoxifen, received acupuncture treatment sessions of 2030 minutes twice weekly for 3-8 weeks, with a detoxifying healthy diet programme and changes in life style. All patients were followed up 3-5 weeks after the last acupuncture session and showed a reduction in the number of hot flushes (average 80% after the completion of treatment course). This study concludes that acupuncture, associated with a dietary programme and healthy life style may be an alternative treatment of choice in breast cancer survivor women suffering from hot flushes following chemotherapy and/or Tamoxifen and deserves further clinical appraisal.