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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.

Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP
March 1, 2025
Patricia Santolia Giron et al. (6 authors)
Journal ArticleRandomized Controlled TrialHuman StudyClinical
Study Details

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

Extracted Claims (27)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
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
Abstract

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.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
HumansFemaleQuality of LifeBreast NeoplasmsMiddle AgedCancer SurvivorsMuscle StrengthAcupuncture TherapyExercise TherapySilicon DioxideLymphedemaTabletsFollow-Up StudiesAdultPrognosis
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy70/10
Quality70/10
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.05
Weight Score2.40
Normalized Score0.62
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