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Real-world experiences with acupuncture among breast cancer survivors: a cross-sectional survey study

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate acupuncture use among breast cancer survivors, including perceived symptom improvements and referral patterns.

Methods

Breast cancer survivors who had used acupuncture for cancer- or treatment-related symptoms were identified using an ongoing prospective Mayo Clinic Breast Disease Registry (MCBDR). Additionally, Mayo Clinic electronic health records (MCEHR) were queried to identify eligible participants. All received a mailed consent form and survey including acupuncture-related questions about acupuncture referrals, delivery, and costs. Respondents were also asked to recall symptom severity before and after acupuncture treatment and time to benefit on Likert scales.

Results

Acupuncture use was reported among 415 participants (12.3%) of the MCBDR. Among MCBDR and MCEHR eligible participants, 241 women returned surveys. A total of 193 (82.1%) participants reported a symptomatic benefit from acupuncture, and 57 (24.1% of participants) reported a “substantial benefit” or “totally resolved my symptoms” (corresponding to 4 and 5 on the 5-point Likert scale). The mean symptom severity decreased by at least 1 point of the 5-point scale for each symptom; the percentage of patients who reported an improvement in symptoms ranged from 56% (lymphedema) to 79% (headache). The majority of patients reported time to benefit as “immediate” (34%) or “after a few treatments” (40.4%). Over half of the participants self-referred for treatment; 24.1% were referred by their oncologist. Acupuncture delivery was more frequent in private offices (61.0%) than in hospital or medical settings (42.3%). Twelve participants (5.1%) reported negative side effects, such as discomfort.

Conclusions

Acupuncture is commonly utilized by patients for a variety of breast cancer–related symptoms. However, patients frequently self-refer for acupuncture treatments, and most acupuncture care is completed at private offices, rather than medical clinic or hospital settings.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the study participants for their time as well as Melinda Cooper, Tricia Harstad, and Sebastian Armasu for their assistance with data collection.

Funding

This study was supported by Tracy Starr Breast Cancer Research Fund Award (PI: Ruddy). JZ was supported by Mayo Clinic Medical Scientist Training Program (National Institutes of Health, T32 GM065841).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine and the Mayo Clinic Medical Scientist Training Program, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Jacqueline Zayas

  2. Department of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Kathryn J. Ruddy, Charles L. Loprinzi & Elizabeth J. Cathcart-Rake

  3. Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Janet E. Olson, Ping Yang & David Zahrieh

  4. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Fergus J. Couch

  5. Department of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Brent A. Bauer & Molly J. Mallory

  6. Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Arjun P. Athreya

Authors
  1. Jacqueline Zayas
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  2. Kathryn J. Ruddy
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  3. Janet E. Olson
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  7. Ping Yang
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  8. David Zahrieh
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  10. Charles L. Loprinzi
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  11. Elizabeth J. Cathcart-Rake
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jacqueline Zayas.

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Conflict of interest

CLL has a consulting/advisory role with Pled Pharma, Disarm Therapeutics, Metys, and Asahi Kasei. KRJ inherited and then sold Merck and Pfizer stock in February 2018.

Research involving human participants and/or animals

This study was approved by Mayo Clinic Institutional Review Board (IRB) (IRB nos 181504 and 18006395) in accordance with ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Zayas, J., Ruddy, K.J., Olson, J.E. et al. Real-world experiences with acupuncture among breast cancer survivors: a cross-sectional survey study. Support Care Cancer 28, 5833–5838 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-020-05442-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-020-05442-9

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