Effect of Exercise Therapy, Systemic Acupuncture and Silicon Oxide Tablets on Muscular Strength, Lymphedema, and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors: Randomized Clinical Trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to compare the effectiveness of acupuncture versus exercise therapy and silicon oxide tablets in improving upper limb muscle strength, lymphedema, and quality of life in women who had undergone breast cancer surgery.
Results Summary
Acupuncture showed improvement in upper limb muscle strength over time, with no increase in lymphedema cases. Nine out of fifteen quality of life factors improved significantly, though some factors like Social Function and Nausea did not show significant differences. No statistical differences were found between the three treatment groups.
Population
Seventy-nine women who had undergone breast cancer surgery more than 90 days prior and reported pain levels above 3 on the VAS scale.
Effective Dosage
30-minute acupuncture sessions using predefined points.
Duration
Not specified in the abstract.
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
exercise therapy | increase | upper limb muscle strength | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | showed an improvement | #1 |
acupuncture | increase | upper limb muscle strength | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | showed an improvement | #2 |
silicon oxide tablets (Stiper®) | increase | upper limb muscle strength | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | showed an improvement | #3 |
exercise therapy | no change | number of patients with lymphedema | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | no increase | #4 |
acupuncture | no change | number of patients with lymphedema | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | no increase | #5 |
silicon oxide tablets (Stiper®) | no change | number of patients with lymphedema | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | no increase | #6 |
exercise therapy | increase | nine out of the fifteen factors analyzed in the EORTC QLQ-C30 quality of life questionnaire | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | showed significant differences | #7 |
acupuncture | increase | nine out of the fifteen factors analyzed in the EORTC QLQ-C30 quality of life questionnaire | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | showed significant differences | #8 |
silicon oxide tablets (Stiper®) | increase | nine out of the fifteen factors analyzed in the EORTC QLQ-C30 quality of life questionnaire | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | showed significant differences | #9 |
exercise therapy | no change | Social Function | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #10 |
acupuncture | no change | Social Function | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #11 |
silicon oxide tablets (Stiper®) | no change | Social Function | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #12 |
exercise therapy | no change | Nausea and Vomiting | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #13 |
acupuncture | no change | Nausea and Vomiting | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #14 |
silicon oxide tablets (Stiper®) | no change | Nausea and Vomiting | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #15 |
exercise therapy | no change | Dyspnea | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #16 |
acupuncture | no change | Dyspnea | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #17 |
silicon oxide tablets (Stiper®) | no change | Dyspnea | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #18 |
exercise therapy | no change | Loss of Appetite | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #19 |
acupuncture | no change | Loss of Appetite | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #20 |
silicon oxide tablets (Stiper®) | no change | Loss of Appetite | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #21 |
exercise therapy | no change | Constipation | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #22 |
acupuncture | no change | Constipation | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #23 |
silicon oxide tablets (Stiper®) | no change | Constipation | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #24 |
exercise therapy | no change | Diarrhea | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #25 |
acupuncture | no change | Diarrhea | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #26 |
silicon oxide tablets (Stiper®) | no change | Diarrhea | women who have undergone breast cancer surgery | - | did not show significant differences | #27 |
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of three different rehabilitation treatments (exercise therapy, acupuncture, and silicon oxide tablets (Stiper®) in women who have undergone breast cancer surgery. The study assessed the impact of these treatments on strength, lymphedema, and quality of life. METHODS: The study included seventy-nine women who reported pain levels above 3 on the visual analog pain scale (VAS) and had undergone surgery more than 90 days prior. Group I received exercise therapy for 30 minutes, Group II received acupuncture for 30 minutes using predefined points, and Group III received acupuncture at the same points as Group II using silicon oxide instead of needles at the same points as Group II. RESULTS: The results showed an improvement in upper limb muscle strength over time in all groups, except for abduction and internal rotation movements. During treatment, there was no increase in the number of patients with lymphedema, and there was no statistical difference between the groups. Nine out of the fifteen factors analyzed in the EORTC QLQ-C30 quality of life questionnaire showed significant differences between sessions. The factors that did not show significant differences between the three groups were Social Function, Nausea and Vomiting, Dyspnea, Loss of Appetite, Constipation, and Diarrhea. CONCLUSION: The rehabilitation of physical dysfunctions in women who survived breast cancer through exercise therapy, acupuncture, and silicon oxide tablets in upper limb muscle strength, lymphedema, and quality of life, proved to be effective, without difference between groups.