Acupuncture for Hot Flashes in Prostate Cancer Patients

Acupuncture for Hot Flashes in Prostate Cancer Patients

Hot flashes are a frequent and often debilitating side effect of androgen deprivation therapy in men with prostate cancer, with limited well-tolerated treatment options. Beer and colleagues evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of acupuncture in reducing hot flash symptoms in this population.
In this prospective clinical study, men with prostate cancer experiencing bothersome hot flashes underwent a standardized acupuncture protocol, typically consisting of biweekly treatments over a 4-week period followed by weekly sessions for an additional 6 weeks. Outcomes assessed included hot flash frequency and severity, often measured using patient-reported diaries and composite hot flash scores, as well as quality of life indicators.
The study found a clinically meaningful reduction in hot flash frequency and composite scores over the course of treatment, with some patients experiencing improvements of approximately 50% or greater. Symptom relief often began within the first few weeks and was sustained for several months following completion of acupuncture therapy. Treatment was well tolerated, with minimal adverse effects reported.
While the study was not a large randomized controlled trial, these findings suggest that acupuncture may provide a safe and effective non-pharmacologic option for managing androgen deprivation–related hot flashes in prostate cancer patients. The durability of response and favorable tolerability profile support further investigation in larger controlled studies.

Reference:

Beer TM, Benavides M, Emmons SL, Hayes M, Liu G, Garzotto M, Donovan D, Katovic N, Reeder C, Eilers K. Acupuncture for hot flashes in patients with prostate cancer. Urology. 2010;76(5):1182–1188. doi:10.1016/j.urology.2010.03.033. PMID: 20494414.