ArticleChinese journal of integrative medicine2023
Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation Combined with Warm Acupuncture for Breast Cancer Related Upper Limb Lymphedema: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
Article in Chinese journal of integrative medicine, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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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.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 5 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Application of Meridian flow injection acupoint application combined with transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation in patients undergoing gastroenteroscopy.World journal of gastroenterology · 2025Trial
- Preventive effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation pretreatment on lymphedema in patients undergoing axillary lymph node dissection for breast cancer: a randomized controlled trial protocol.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Article
- Acupuncture in remodeling the tumor microenvironment: current status and challenges.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- The promising application of acupressure for management of cancer-related lymphedema: A scoping review.Asia-Pacific journal of oncology nursing · 2025Review
- Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of breast Cancer.Molecular cancer · 2025Review
- [Application efficacy of lymph pads in complete decongestive therapy after lymphatico-venous anastomosis combined with liposuction in patients with lower limb lymphedema].Zhonghua shao shang yu chuang mian xiu fu za zhi · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with warm acupuncture in treating breast cancer associated with upper limb lymphedema (BCRL).
methodsThis was a retrospective cohort study using a paired control design. Fifty-two BCRL patients were assigned to the control group (27 cases) and the treatment group (25 cases). The patients in the control group were treated with lymphedema comprehensive detumescence treatment (CDT) for 4 weeks, including systematic therapy composed of manual lymphatic drainage, compression bandage, skincare, and functional exercise. The patients in the treatment group were treated with TEAS combined with warm acupuncture based on the control group methods. Each treatment lasted for 30 min and was applied twice a week for 4 weeks. The arm circumference (AC) of different positions of the affected limb and the degree of swelling of the affected limb were evaluated before the first treatment and after the last treatment. The clinical efficacy was evaluated according to the degree of edema before and after treatment. All adverse events during treatment were recorded.
resultsThe patients' AC and the swelling feeling of the affected limb in the treatment group and the control group were both reduced compared with those before treatment. Compared with the control group, AC of the wrist joint transverse stria, the midpoint between the wrist joint transverse stria and the elbow joint transverse stria in the treatment group were significantly reduced (P<0.05). The decrease in AC diameter at the midpoint between the elbow joint transverse stria and the axillary transverse stria was the most significant (P<0.01). The swelling degree of the affected limbs in the treatment group was significantly lower than before treatment, and was significantly lower compared with the control group after treatment (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 72% in the treatment group, significantly higher than that in the control group (55.56%, P<0.05). No serious adverse events occured in either group.
conclusionsTEAS combined with warm acupuncture can effectively reduce AC and swelling feeling of the affected limb in patients with BCRL. The effect is better than that of CDT therapy alone. (Registration No. ChiCTR2200062075).
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