Transcutaneous electrical acupuncture stimulation (TEAS) can reduce anxiety, promote rehabilitation and increase quality of life (QoL) in lung cancer patients receiving palliative care. A total of 188 participants were enrolled by Chinese investigators into three groups; a TEAS group, who received palliative care plus electrical stimulation at Zusanli ST-36, Sanyinjiao SP-6 and Hegu L.I.-4, a sham group who received palliative care plus electrical stimulation at non-acupoints, and a control group who received palliative care alone, for a seven day period. Anxiety scores decreased significantly in the TEAS group after treatment, while there were no significant improvement in the sham group....Weiterlesen

ABSTRACT Oncologists tend to avoid the use of supplements during chemotherapy. To understand the safety issue, a literature review was conducted to evaluate safety and possible benefits of taking curcumin during chemotherapy. Curcumin was chosen because of its wide use in the public and because of the availability of clinical trials utilizing curcumin during chemotherapy. Curcumin is considered a “pan-assay interference compound,” creating false leads in drug discovery assays. The pharmacodynamics of curcumin presents many challenges for a therapeutic agent, including poor bioavailability and rapid metabolism and excretion. The proposed molecular targets for curcumin include inhibition of nuclear factor kappa...Weiterlesen

Researchers find acupuncture combined with moxibustion effective for the treatment of chemoradiotherapy induced leukopenia. Shanghai Tongji Hospital researchers determined that acupuncture combined with moxibustion successfully increases white blood cell levels and stabilizes the overall health of patients suffering from leukopenia (a disorder characterized by reduced white blood cell levels). The results were verified by blood assays and additional clinical evidence in a controlled trial comparing the effects of medications with acupuncture and moxibustion. Acupuncture combined with moxibustion produced a positive patient outcome rate of 90.0%. The medications batilol and leucogen produced a 53.3% positive patient outcome rate for the treatment...Weiterlesen

Alternative Medizin bei Krebspatienten Brustkrebs-Patientinnen können unter Hitzewallungen leiden, wenn sie mit Hormonen behandelt werden. Zur Behandlung dieser Wärmeschübe gerät die Akupunktur in den Blickpunkt, jedoch sind die wissenschaftlichen Ergebnisse zur Wirksamkeit nicht eindeutig. Brustkrebs ist die häufigste Krebserkrankung bei Frauen. Nach aktuellen Zahlen des Robert-Koch-Instituts [1] bekommen 29 von 100 Frauen, die neu an Krebs erkranken, Brustkrebs. Die Behandlung erfolgt meist durch die Entnahme des kranken Gewebes in einer Operation. Anschließend folgen oft Bestrahlung und Chemotherapie. Ziel ist die vollständige Entfernung des infizierten Gewebes, der Erhalt der Brust und schließlich die Heilung. Um einem Wiederauftreten des Krebses vorzubeugen, nehmen...Weiterlesen

ABSTRACT Curcumin Trotz des medizinischen Fortschritts stirbt in Deutschland jeder Vierte an Krebs. Fieberhaft wird daher nach wirksamen Mittel gegen diese „Pest“ unserer Zeit gesucht. Die Natur hält die Antwort zur Lösung des Krebsproblems bereit. Es ist schlüssig bewiesen, dass bestimmte pflanzliche Stoffe, die natürlich in der Nahrung vorkommen, die Fähigkeit haben, Krebs zu verhindern. Einer dieser wichtigen Wirkstoffe unter diesen „bioaktiven Pflanzenstoffen“ ist Curcumin. Curcumin ist der aus der Gelbwurz (Kurkuma, Turmeric) gewonnene gelbe Farbstoff. Diese Heilpflanze wird vorwiegend in Afrika und Asien angebaut. Als Gewürz des Lebens ist Curcumin seit Jahrtausenden in der ayurvedischen Medizin bekannt. Conclusio: Bei...Weiterlesen

Objective: Sleep disturbance is a major consequence of hot flashes among breast cancer survivors. This study evaluated the effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) versus gabapentin (GP) for sleep disturbances among breast cancer survivors experiencing daily hot flashes. Methods: We analyzed data from a randomized controlled trial involving 58 breast cancer survivors experiencing bothersome hot flashes at least two times per day. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 8 weeks of EA or daily GP (total dose of 900 mg/d). The primary outcome was change in the total Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score between groups at week 8. Secondary outcomes include specific PSQI domains. Results: By the end of treatment at week 8, the mean reduction in...Weiterlesen

Übelkeit und Erbrechen als Folge einer chemischen Krebstherapie belasten die betroffenen Patienten oft zusätzlich. Wo konventionelle Antiemetika nicht helfen, können pflanzliche Zubereitungen aus der Traditionellen Chinesischen Medizin eine Alternative sein. Über 70 % der mit Oxaliplatin behandelten Krebspatienten leiden unter Übelkeit und Erbrechen. Oftmals nehmen diese Symptome mit der Häufigkeit der Behandlungszyklen zu und mindern die Lebensqualität nachhaltig. Die pharmakologischen Mechanismen, wie es im menschlichen Organismus zur Ausprägung der Magen-Darm-Beschwerden kommt, sind relativ komplex und erschweren somit eine erfolgreiche Behandlung. Konventionelle Antiemetika zeigen nicht bei allen Patienten die gewünschte Wirkung, so dass auch alternative Behandlungsmethoden im Fokus der Forschung stehen....Weiterlesen

BACKGROUND: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is one of the most common complementary and alternative medicines used in the treatment of patients with breast cancer. However, the clinical effect of TCM on survival, which is a major concern in these individuals, lacks evidence from large-scale clinical studies. METHODS: The authors used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database to conduct a retrospective population-based cohort study of patients with advanced breast cancer between 2001 and 2010. The patients were separated into TCM users and nonusers, and Cox regression models were applied to determine the association between the use of TCM and patient...Weiterlesen

Vasomotor symptoms are common adverse effects of antiestrogen hormone treatment in conventional breast cancer care. Hormone replacement therapy is contraindicated in patients with breast cancer. Venlafaxine (Effexor), the therapy of choice for these symptoms, has numerous adverse effects. Recent studies suggest acupuncture may be effective in reducing vasomotor symptoms in menopausal women. This randomized controlled trial tested whether acupuncture reduces vasomotor symptoms and produces fewer adverse effects than venlafaxine. Patients and Methods Fifty patients were randomly assigned to receive 12 weeks of acupuncture (n  25) or venlafaxine (n  25) treatment. Health outcomes were measured for up to 1 year post-treatment....Weiterlesen

In the largest, most rigorous study of its kind, acupuncture was found to significantly reduce the debilitating joint pain experienced by tens of thousands of women each year while being treated for early stage breast cancer, according to SWOG research results to be announced at a December 7 press conference at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Investigators from SWOG, the global cancer clinical trials network funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), conducted a randomized, blinded, multicenter trial, known as S1200, to test whether acupuncture is effective in alleviating pain caused by aromatase inhibitors, a common treatment for hormone...Weiterlesen