In a recent study conducted at Henry Ford Hospital in Michigan, researchers found that acupuncture may have some real benefits for women undergoing Tamoxifen drug therapy for breast cancer. They found that it was not only good for reducing hot flashes, but also provided a boost to the sex drive and an overall sense of well-being.

Breast cancer patients with estrogen-sensitive tumors are often given hormone-blocking medication for many years after diagnosis. Because of the reduction of estrogen, the body experiences menopause-like symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats.

Dr. Eleanor Walker, the lead author of the study and the division director of breast services with the Henry Ford Department of Radiation Oncology, divided 50 women into two groups. One received the drug Venlafaxine, also known as Effexor, and the other received acupuncture twice a week for the first four weeks, and then once a week for the remaining 8 weeks of the treatment period. They were followed over a year, and while all of the women experienced an immediate reduction in hot flashes and night sweats, the women receiving acupuncture maintained the positive results for longer.

Taking Effexor after Tamoxifen treatments also had other negative side effects that the women receiving acupuncture did not experience. For example, the women taking the drug experienced dry mouth, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, and constipation. Effexor has also been shown to impair the effectiveness of Tamoxifen in some women by blocking the body’s metabolism of the drug.

"Acupuncture appears to be at least as effective as drug therapy," said Dr. Walker, "and it may provide additional and longer-term benefits without adverse effects."

Acupuncture has been used safely and effectively in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 5,000 years. Many recent clinical trials have found it to be beneficial in a wide range of health conditions. Acupuncture works by causing the body to react to a stimulus with a healing response.

About 13% of women, one in eight, will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, according to the National Cancer Institute. Because the conventional medical treatment is long and difficult, providing hope for relief from the side effects is crucial — giving women back a real quality of life. According to the researchers, “Most women reported an improvement in their energy, clarity of thought, and sense of well-being.”

Thankfully, more alternative therapies may be more main-stream in years to come. A new report from the journal Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (eCAM) found that 75% of medical students today believe it would be beneficial to integrate conventional Western medicine with CAM. Therapies with low side effects, such as acupuncture, should be considered as an option as part of multi-disciplinary care.