by Franco Cracolici, Chiara Bocci, Tommaso Carfagno, Pier Paolo Pastina, Marta Vannini, Luca Guaraldi, Gioia Fineschi, Sami Aburas, Paolo Tini, Zion Levy, Giuseppina Iovini, Francesca Rossi, Giovanna Buonfrate, Francesca Terziani, Pier Luigi Losardo, Serena Nucciarelli, Alessandra Signorini, Mario D’Oriano, Guido Miccinesi, Giovanna Masala, Giuseppe Fornaciari, Marco Ceroti, Simona Borghesi
Published Date: 26 July 2024
Abstract
Purpose: A multicenter randomized study was conducted. Patients with breast cancer (BC) referred to post-operative radiotherapy (RT) and patients diagnosed with prostate cancer (PC) referred to radical or post-operative RT were enrolled to evaluate the efficacy of Acupuncture (A) in terms of fatigue (F). Methods: 220 patients were recruited and randomized between Arm 1: RT alone, and Arm 2: RT + A. F was assessed with a validated questionnaire (Brief Fatigue Inventory). F was assessed at the beginning of RT treatment, during RT and at follow-up. The questionnaire is composed of 9 items, each represented by a numerical value between 0 and 9 depending on the level of F perceived by the subject. The analysis was conducted both on the individual items and on an overall score that combines all of them. Results: 69 BC patients were subjected to RT alone and 63 to RT + A, for PC the numbers in the two arms were 43 and 45 respectively. Analyses were conducted on 183 subjects. In the BC group A offers a significant benefit in items 3, item 6, item 8 and in the overall index. In the PC group the low numbers produce results difficult to comment, especially for items 6 and item 7. The benefit of A appears more pronounced for BC patients with moderate F levels at baseline. Conclusion: A may be effective in reducing F for BC patients. No role emerges for PC subjects.