Efficacy of Acupuncture for Hot Flashes in Women Treated With Hormonal Therapy for Breast Cancer

The purpose of this study is to determine if acupuncture is effective in relieving hot flashes in women treated with hormonal therapy for breast cancer.

Hormonal therapy is one of the most common treatments for breast cancer in women. Unfortunately, many women on hormonal therapy suffer from hot flashes (the sudden sensation of heat throughout the face, neck and chest, with or without shivering and sweating). Many medicines have been used to treat hot flashes, but no single medication has been found to work reliably.

Acupuncture has been shown to be effective for many conditions in Western medicine specifically for dry mouth in people who have received radiation to their head and neck, as well as for hot flashes in women during menopause (the "change of life"). In this study, we are investigating whether acupuncture is effective for women suffering hot flashes that result from their treatment of breast cancer.