The objectives of this study to identify the feasibility and acceptability of acupuncture for symptom management among breast cancer survivors and explore biomarker changes after the acupuncture intervention. Acupuncture treatments will be provided to breast cancer survivors twice weekly for 5 weeks.
The investigators will conduct the study with early stage breast cancer survivors who have completed their primary cancer treatment. They will all receive acupuncture. Treatments will be twice weekly for 5 weeks, for 30 minutes per treatment. At baseline and post-treatment, subjects will be collected blood and stool samples, complete symptom questionnaires that measure pain, fatigue, anxiety, depressive symptoms, sleep disturbance. Subjects will also complete a measure of study acceptability, the Protocol Acceptability Scale for Treating Breast Cancer Psychoneurological Symptoms with Acupuncture at post-treatment.
women with histologically confirmed stage 0, I, II, or III breast cancer who have completed their primary cancer treatment (e.g., surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy) are able to read and speak English with self-reported pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, depression, and/or anxiety in the last three months and their "worst" severity rating ≥ 3 (0-10 numeric rating scale) for at least two of the five symptoms
Exclusion Criteria:
have self-reported hospitalization for psychiatric illness within the past 2 years have a bleeding disorder physically or cognitively unable to complete the study procedures pregnant women
