Prostate cancer patients who have hot flashes caused by hormone therapy may benefit from acupuncture, according to an ongoing Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute study. Acupuncture significantly decreased the frequency and intensity of hot flashes in 60 percent of study participants who have completed treatment.
Study participants receive 14 acupuncture treatments during 10 weeks - twice weekly for four weeks, then once weekly for six additional weeks. Each treatment lasts about 30 minutes and involves the placement of 14 needles in the arms, legs, back and head.
In addition to assessing acupuncture's effect on the frequency and intensity of hot flashes, and related insomnia and loss of vitality, researchers also will evaluate blood and urine samples to measure neurotransmitters present in the blood and central nervous system before, during and after acupuncture.
To date, researchers have evaluated data on 10 men. Six experienced a 50 percent or greater reduction in hot flash score. Four reached the benchmark after four weeks of therapy. Two patients reached the benchmark as the study progressed - one after 10 weeks of treatment and another six weeks after the final treatment. The hot flash score is calculated by multiplying each hot flash by its severity. Severity-adjusted hot flash numbers are added together over a seven-day period and then divided by seven to yield a daily hot flash score.
