Evidence map›Paper›PMID 20038728›Full record

Trial reportJournal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology2010

Acupuncture versus venlafaxine for the management of vasomotor symptoms in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: a randomized controlled trial.

Eleanor M Walker, Alba I Rodriguez, Beth Kohn, Ronald M Ball, Jan Pegg, Jeffrey R Pocock, Ramon Nunez, Ed Peterson, Susan Jakary, Robert A Levine

Open access · bronzeAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 2010. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 91 papers, 24 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
91citing papers in PubMed, 24 pooled it
58.8field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

91 citing papers in PubMed, 24 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 224 citations in OpenAlex.

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  8. Variation in menopausal vasomotor symptoms outcomes in clinical trials: a systematic review.BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology · 2020
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  11. Survivorship, Version 2.2017, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN · 2017
    Guideline
  12. Effects of non-pharmacological supportive care for hot flushes in breast cancer: a meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2017
    Pooled it
  13. Guideline
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  15. Acupuncture for treating hot flashes in breast cancer patients: an updated meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2016
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31 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Eleanor M WalkerDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI 48202, USA. ewalker1@hfhs.org
Alba I Rodriguez
Beth Kohn
Ronald M Ball
Jan Pegg
Jeffrey R Pocock
Ramon Nunez
Ed Peterson
Susan Jakary
Robert A Levine
Henry Ford Health System · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeVasomotor 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

methodsFifty 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.

resultsBoth groups exhibited significant decreases in hot flashes, depressive symptoms, and other quality-of-life symptoms, including significant improvements in mental health from pre- to post-treatment. These changes were similar in both groups, indicating that acupuncture was as effective as venlafaxine. By 2 weeks post-treatment, the venlafaxine group experienced significant increases in hot flashes, whereas hot flashes in the acupuncture group remained at low levels. The venlafaxine group experienced 18 incidences of adverse effects (eg, nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, anxiety), whereas the acupuncture group experienced no negative adverse effects. Acupuncture had the additional benefit of increased sex drive in some women, and most reported an improvement in their energy, clarity of thought, and sense of well-being.

conclusionAcupuncture appears to be equivalent to drug therapy in these patients. It is a safe, effective and durable treatment for vasomotor symptoms secondary to long-term antiestrogen hormone use in patients with breast cancer.

Indexed as

Acupuncture TherapyAdultAgedAnalgesicsAntidepressive Agents, Second-GenerationBreast NeoplasmsCyclohexanolsEstrogen Replacement TherapyFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHot FlashesHumansMiddle AgedPostmenopausePrognosisQuality of LifeAnalgesicsAntidepressive Agents, Second-GenerationCyclohexanolsReceptors, EstrogenReceptors, ProgesteroneVenlafaxine Hydrochloride

Identifiers

PMID20038728
OpenAlexW2171429601

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.