Acupuncture Shows Promise for Cognitive Function in Breast Cancer Survivors
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New research presented at the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium suggests that acupuncture, both real and simulated (sham), can considerably improve cognitive difficulties experienced by breast cancer survivors. the findings indicate that while both approaches outperform standard care, real acupuncture demonstrates a greater impact on objective measures of cognitive performance.
Background and Meaning
Nearly half of all women who have completed breast cancer treatment experience cognitive challenges, frequently enough described as “brain fog” or “chemo brain.” Thes difficulties can substantially diminish quality of life, yet effective treatment options remain limited. Recognizing this gap, researchers investigated the potential of acupuncture to alleviate these symptoms, building upon previous studies that linked acupuncture to improved sleep and cognitive function in this patient population.
Study Design: Dissecting the Benefits of Acupuncture
Led by Jun J.Mao, MD, MSCE, of memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the phase II ENHANCE clinical trial employed a rigorous three-arm design. 260 breast cancer survivors (mean age 56.6 years) who had completed treatment and reported moderate to severe cognitive difficulties and insomnia were randomly assigned to one of three groups:
* Real Acupuncture: Received customary acupuncture treatment.
* Sham Acupuncture: Received a simulated acupuncture experience where needles did not penetrate the skin.
* Usual Care: Continued with their standard medical care.
Participants received weekly treatments for 10 weeks, with cognitive function assessed at baseline, 10 weeks, and 26 weeks using both patient-reported questionnaires and standardized neurocognitive tests. Dr. Mao emphasized the importance of comparing real and sham acupuncture, stating, “Acupuncture should be seen as a complex intervention that involves both the needling and the care being delivered… By comparing real acupuncture to sham acupuncture, and not just to usual care, we were able to better understand whether the benefits were due to the acupuncture technique itself or to the overall experience.”
Key findings: Perceived vs.Objective Cognitive Betterment
The results revealed significant improvements in perceived cognitive impairment for both acupuncture groups compared to usual care by week 10. Specifically:
* Real Acupuncture: Showed a 10.3-point improvement in perceived cognitive function.
* Sham Acupuncture: Showed a 10.5-point improvement in perceived cognitive function.
* Usual care: Showed a 4.8-point improvement in perceived cognitive function.
These improvements were sustained in both acupuncture groups at the 26-week follow-up.
Though, when examining objective cognitive function using the Hopkins verbal learning Test-Revised, a key difference emerged. While sham acupuncture did not demonstrate objective improvement, real acupuncture resulted in a statistically significant improvement of four points compared to sham acupuncture at week 10. Furthermore, among patients with documented baseline objective impairment, real acupuncture showed a promising trend toward better memory outcomes compared to both sham acupuncture and usual care.
Safety and the Link to Sleep Quality
The study reported minimal adverse events, with mild bruising occurring in 3.1% of participants in the real acupuncture group. Importantly, the research reinforced the strong correlation between sleep quality and cognitive performance, with insomnia and sleep fragmentation linked to poorer scores on objective cognitive measures.
Implications for Breast Cancer Survivors
These findings suggest that acupuncture may offer a valuable, non-pharmacological approach for managing cognitive symptoms in breast cancer survivors. As Dr. Mao concluded, “Cognitive difficulties for women with breast cancer are complex and involve finding ways to address both the distress associated with perceived cognitive abilities as well as objective function.”
The study highlights that the benefits of acupuncture may stem from both the physiological effects of needling and the therapeutic experience itself, including relaxation and dedicated care. Further research is warranted to optimize acupuncture protocols and identify which patients are most likely to benefit from this promising intervention.
Source: Mao, J.J. (2025). Abstract GS3-04. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. https://sabcs.org/events/general-session-3/