Traditional acupuncture improves wellbeing in cancer survivors with lymphoedema
The study into the use of acupuncture and moxibustion (acu/moxa) to promote wellbeing and improve quality of life for people with secondary lymphoedema is in its final stages. The data is now being analysed and the first indications are that acu/moxa has the potential to improve the lives of people with lymphoedema.
Everyone at the LJMC has been excited by this project which has been funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research for Innovation, Speculation and Creativity (RISC) programme.
The innovative leap into the unknown by research acupuncturist, Dr Beverley de Valois, and the potential opportunities it may uncover have ensured that interest in the study has remained high.
There were three questions to which Beverley sought answers:- Can acu/moxa improve wellbeing in cancer survivors with lymphoedema?
- What symptoms are most troublesome for these individuals?
- Is acupuncture a safe intervention for people with lymphoedema?
Working closely with Elaine Melsome of the Mount Vernon Lymphoedema Service, we recruited breast cancer and head and neck cancer patients.
Thirty five participants took part in the clinical study in which the majority chose to have 13 acu/moxa treatments.
Using a questionnaire called the Measure Your Medical Outcome Profile (MYMOP), participants were asked to prioritise the symptoms they would like to see change over the course of the study.
While the study did not aim to treat the lymphoedema, breast cancer participants generally prioritised lymphoedema-related symptoms, including aches, pain, discomfort and heaviness of the arm.
Head and neck cancer participants prioritised a wider range of symptoms, ranging from facial pain to shoulder and back pain and leg pain.
Both groups specified a range of psychological symptoms, including insomnia, anxiety, stress, depression, and issues relating to bereavement.
Analysis of the changes in the MYMOP scores over time revealed that, overall, the participants experienced noticeable improvements in their symptoms including those related to their lymphoedema and also other problems.
As a result, Beverley has been able to conclude that acu/moxa can make a significant contribution to the wellbeing of cancer survivors with lymphoedema.
In addition, with no reports of serious adverse effects, it would appear that acu/moxa is a safe intervention for people with lymphoedema. [NB – participants were not needled in the affected area.]
Understandably, she is delighted with the findings. “These results suggest that further research is warranted. Furthermore, we observed that many participants were able to self-manage their condition much better.”
Beverley will be presenting the study results at several international conferences this spring, including at the Society for Acupuncture Research in North Carolina, the International Lymphoedema Framework conference in Brighton, and the International Conference for Complementary Medicine Research in Norway.
She will also be writing papers for publication and, most importantly, applying for grants to conduct further research.
Last updated: 17 March, 2010
Beverley attended the Acupuncture Research Resource Centre Symposium in London in March 2010