Acupuncture feasibly reduced several treatment-related symptoms among medically underserved breast cancer survivors, offering a practical way to help narrow supportive-care disparities.
Researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial in two clinics serving medically underserved communities. Breast cancer survivors receiving long-term endocrine therapy were assigned either to acupuncture alongside usual care or to usual care alone. The acupuncture group received ten treatment sessions over five weeks, and participants reported pain, fatigue, sleep problems, hot flashes, anxiety, depression, and overall symptom burden before treatment and at follow-up assessments.
Most participants remained engaged and found acupuncture acceptable, supporting its integration into routine care in these settings. Compared with usual care, acupuncture reduced pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, depression, anxiety, and combined symptom burden after treatment, with most benefits continuing at the later follow-up, although anxiety improvement did not persist.
