Abstract P3-09-11: Acupuncture for the treatment of lymphedema in breast cancer patients: A pilot study in Korean women

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: Lymphedema is a troublesome complication of breast cancer treatment. Recent studies suggest that acupuncture is effective in improving lymphedema in breast cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and safety of acupuncture for treatment of lymphedema in Korean breast cancer patients. Methods: This was a prospective, single-arm, observational study. Participants received 18 sessions of acupuncture, delivered 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Patients were evaluated 1 week before treatment commenced (baseline), once a week during treatment, and 4 weeks after the final acupuncture session. Recruitment was performed from September 2012 through December 2012, and 9 breast cancer patients presenting with lymphedema of the upper limb ipsilateral to surgery were enrolled. The primary outcome measure was severity of lymphedema assessed by stages of lymphedema, visual analogue scale (VAS) and circumferential measurements of the upper extremity. The secondary outcome measure was quality of life assessed by a self-administered questionnaire using the SF-36 Questionnaire. Results: Acupuncture significantly reduced the severity of lymphedema assessed by VAS (p<0.001) as well as circumferential measurements of upper extremity (p<0.001). Four weeks after the final treatment, symptoms were not aggravated. SF-36 scores remained significant for health status at the end of treatment (p = 0.018). No serious adverse events occurred in 162 treatment sessions and during the 4-week follow-up period. Conclusions: Our results showed the feasibility and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of lymphedema in Korean breast cancer patients. These findings suggest that acupuncture is a useful complementary and alternative treatment for improvement of lymphedema itself and related symptoms in breast cancer patients. A randomized controlled prospective study with a larger sample size is required to clarify the efficacy of acupuncture for such patients in Korea. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P3-09-11.