OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with warm acupuncture in treating breast cancer associated with upper limb lymphedema (BCRL). METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study using a paired control design. Fifty-two BCRL patients were assigned to the control group (27 cases) and the treatment group (25 cases). The patients in the control group were treated with lymphedema comprehensive detumescence treatment (CDT) for 4 weeks, including systematic therapy composed of manual lymphatic drainage, compression bandage, skincare, and functional exercise. The patients in the treatment group were treated with TEAS combined with warm acupuncture based on the control group methods. Each treatment lasted for 30 min and was applied twice a week for 4 weeks. The arm circumference (AC) of different positions of the affected limb and the degree of swelling of the affected limb were evaluated before the first treatment and after the last treatment. The clinical efficacy was evaluated according to the degree of edema before and after treatment. All adverse events during treatment were recorded. RESULTS: The patients' AC and the swelling feeling of the affected limb in the treatment group and the control group were both reduced compared with those before treatment. Compared with the control group, AC of the wrist joint transverse stria, the midpoint between the wrist joint transverse stria and the elbow joint transverse stria in the treatment group were significantly reduced (P<0.05). The decrease in AC diameter at the midpoint between the elbow joint transverse stria and the axillary transverse stria was the most significant (P<0.01). The swelling degree of the affected limbs in the treatment group was significantly lower than before treatment, and was significantly lower compared with the control group after treatment (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 72% in the treatment group, significantly higher than that in the control group (55.56%, P<0.05). No serious adverse events occured in either group. CONCLUSIONS TEAS combined with warm acupuncture can effectively reduce AC and swelling feeling of the affected limb in patients with BCRL. The effect is better than that of CDT therapy alone. (Registration No. ChiCTR2200062075).
Humans ; Female ; Breast Neoplasms/therapy* ; Acupuncture Points ; Retrospective Studies ; Lymphedema/complications* ; Acupuncture Therapy/adverse effects* ; Upper Extremity ; Treatment Outcome

Cytokines are believed to be involved in a "vicious circle" of progressive interactions in bone metastasis. Iguratimod is a novel anti-rheumatic drug which is reported to have the capability of anti-cytokines. In this study, a rat model was constructed to investigate the effect of iguratimod on bone metastasis and it was found that iguratimod alleviated cancer-induced bone destruction. To further explore whether an anti-tumor activity of iguratimod contributes to the effect of bone resorption suppression, two human breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 were studied. The effect of iguratimod on tumor proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. The effects of iguratimod on migration and invasion of cancer cells were determined by wound-healing and Transwell assays. Results showed that high dose (30 μg/mL) iguratimod slightly suppressed the proliferation of cancer cells but failed to inhibit their migration and invasion capacity. Interestingly, iguratimod decreased the transcription level of IL-6 in MDA-MB-231 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, iguratimod partially impaired NF-κB signaling by suppressing the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 subunit. Our findings indicated that iguratimod may alleviate bone destruction by partially decreasing the expression of IL-6 in an NF-κB-dependent manner, while it has little effect on the tumor proliferation and invasion.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Bone Neoplasms ; complications ; drug therapy ; pathology ; secondary ; Bone Resorption ; complications ; drug therapy ; pathology ; Breast Neoplasms ; complications ; drug therapy ; genetics ; pathology ; Carcinogenesis ; drug effects ; Cell Movement ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Chromones ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; MCF-7 Cells ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; genetics ; pathology ; Rats ; Sulfonamides ; administration & dosage ; Transcription Factor RelA ; biosynthesis ; genetics

Fibromyalgia syndrome after comprehensive treatment of breast cancer is rare and seldom reported. Here we present a case of a 50-year-old female patient,who was admitted to the hospital because of generalized fibromyalgia for 3 months and brain metastasis after the right breast carcinoma surgery for 1 month, and the clinical diagnosis was brain metastasis from breast carcinoma combined with fibromyalgia syndrome. The fibromyalgia were relieved with proper symptomatic treatment but the patient eventually died of tumor progression.
Brain Neoplasms ; mortality ; secondary ; Breast Neoplasms ; complications ; mortality ; therapy ; Carcinoma ; mortality ; therapy ; Female ; Fibromyalgia ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo analyze the relationship between Chinese medical constitutions and chemotherapy-induced leucopenia (CIL) of primary breast cancer patients.

METHODSTotally 306 breast cancer patients undergoing adjunctive chemotherapy for the 1st time, and effective 291 breast cancer patients were recruited in this study.Nine Basic Constitutional Scale was used before first chemotherapy. Chinese medical constitutions were classified and quantitatively scored. The highest grading for any item of adverse reactions in each case during the whole chemotherapy course was recorded after chemotherapy. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS16.0.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference in CIL between different chemotherapy regimens and various Chinese medical constitutions of breast cancer patients (P > 0.05). Yang deficiency constitution is one risk factor for CIL. The higher the score of yang deficiency constitution, the more severe the CIL.

CONCLUSIONSYang deficiency constitution was correlated with the degree of CIL. The higher the score of yang deficiency constitution, the greater the risk of III-IV grade CIL in breast cancer patients.

Breast Neoplasms ; complications ; drug therapy ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Leukopenia ; chemically induced ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Yang Deficiency

Anxiety Disorders ; etiology ; therapy ; Breast Neoplasms ; complications ; therapy ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Qi

OBJECTIVETo compare the differences in the efficacy on depression after breast cancer operation treated with auricular point sticking therapy, the combined program of auricular point sticking therapy and TCM psychotherapy and medication with deanxit.

METHODSNinety patients were randomized into 3 groups, 30 cases in each one. In the western medication group, the simple oral administration of deanxit was applied, one tablet a day. In the auricular point group, Xin (GO15), Shen (CO10), Gan(CO12), Shenmen(TF4), Pizhixia (AT), Neifenmi (CO18) were selected and stimulated with auricular point sticking on either side in each treatment, once a week. In the combined program group, on the basis of the treatment as the auricular point group, TCM psychotherapy was combined with. The treatment of 4 weeks made one session. One session and 4 weeks follow-up were required. The self-rating depression scale (SDS) was used to compare the score before and after treatment in the patients of each group and the efficacy was assessed.

RESULTS(1) Compared with those before treatment, in 4 weeks of treatment and 4 weeks of follow-up, SDS scores were all reduced apparently in the 3 groups (all P<0.001). After 4 weeks of follow-up in the auricular point group, after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment and 4 weeks of follow-up in the combined program group, SDS scores were all lower than those in the western medication group (all P<0.05). (2) After 4 weeks of treatment, the curative rate in the combined program group was higher than that in the auricular point group and the western medication group [60.0% (18/30) vs. 40.0% (12/30), 36.7% (11/30), both P<0.05)]. After 4 weeks of follow-up, the curative rate in either the combined program group or the auricular point group was higher than that in the western medication group [60.0% (18/30), 30.0% (19/30) vs. 23.3% (7/30), both P<0.05].

CONCLUSIONThe auricular point sticking therapy, the combined program of auricular point sticking therapy and TCM psychotherapy, and medication with deanxit all relieve depression after breast cancer operation. The efficacy of the combined program with auricular point sticking therapy and TCM psychotherapy involved is the best, and the efficacy of the auricular point sticking therapy is better than the oral administration of deanxit.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture, Ear ; Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; complications ; surgery ; Depression ; etiology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced ; etiology ; Abnormalities, Radiation-Induced ; etiology ; Antineoplastic Agents ; adverse effects ; Breast Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Contraindications ; Female ; Humans ; Mastectomy ; Neoplasm Staging ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy ; adverse effects ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

OBJECTIVETo compare the efficacy difference in treatment of depression in breast cancer between the combined therapy of acupuncture and auricular acupressure and western medication.

METHODSSixty patients were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each one. In the observation group, the combined therapy of acupuncture and auricular acupressure was adopted. The main acupoints of acupuncture were Hegu (LI 4), Tai-chong (LR 3), Baihui (GV 20), Zusanli (ST 36), Qihai (CV 6), etc. The supplementary acupoints were combined according to the syndrome differentiation. The treatment was given once every day, 5 treatments a week, at the interval of 2 days among weeks. The auricular acupressure was applied to gan (CO12, liver), pi (CO13, spleen), neifenmi (CO18, endocrine), etc., once every 4 days, on each side in one treatment. In the control group, fluoxetine hydrochloride capsules were prescribed for oral administration, 20 mg, once a day. The Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD) was used to assess the disease severity and efficacy before treatment, in 4 and 8 weeks of treatment separately. HAMD factor changes were observed before treatment and at the end of the 8th week. The Asberg antidepressants scale (SERS) was applied to safety assessment.

RESULTSThe total effective rate was 86.7% (26/30) in the observation group, better than 63.3% (19/30) in the control group (P<0.05). At the end of the 4th and 8th weeks, HAMD scores were all reduced apparently in the two groups (all P<0.01). At the end of the 8th week, the scores of the HAMD factor 1 (anxiety/somatic system), factor 5 (retardation) and factor 6 (sleep disturbance) were all reduced as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (all P<0.01); the results in the observation group were better than those in the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). SERS score in the observation group was lower obviously than that in the control group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe combined therapy of acupuncture and auricular acupressure achieves the antidepression effect in treatment of depression in breast cancer and has less side effects and high safety. The efficacy is superior to fluoxetine hydrochloride capsules.

Acupressure ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Breast Neoplasms ; complications ; Depression ; etiology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a rare, inherited syndrome associated with increased risk of various early-onset tumors. Since the introduction of classic LFS criteria, various criteria have been proposed to include patients with incomplete LFS features, which make up Li-Fraumeni-like syndromes (LFL). Germline missense mutations of TP53 are the primary cause of LFS and LFL. Mutations mostly reside in the DNA-binding domain of the gene and have a dominant-negative effect (DNE) over alternate wild-type alleles. Germline TP53 mutation c.566C>T results in the missense mutation GCC (Ala) to GTC (Val) at codon 189 (A189V) and has been reported in a case of multiple primary colon tumors. Herein we report a second case of the same mutation in a breast cancer patient, who has familial history of late-onset malignancies. Due to the relatively late onset of malignancies, neither case fulfils previously defined criteria for the syndrome. Mutational analysis for breast tissue in this patient showed a loss of heterozygosity. These clinical features may suggest a relatively weak DNE of A189V compared to other TP53 mutations, and in silico predictions and in vitro findings of the function of A189V mutant protein are conflicting. Considering the increased risk of malignancies and the therapeutic implications for patients who have a TP53 mutation, care must be taken when treating those who are suspected of possessing cancer-prone traits due to TP53 mutation, especially when there is a family history of late-onset cancer with low penetrance.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Breast Neoplasms/complications/*diagnosis/therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Exons ; Female ; Genotype ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Li-Fraumeni Syndrome/complications/*diagnosis/therapy ; Middle Aged ; Multimodal Imaging ; Mutation, Missense ; Pedigree ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics ; Young Adult

Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a rare, inherited syndrome associated with increased risk of various early-onset tumors. Since the introduction of classic LFS criteria, various criteria have been proposed to include patients with incomplete LFS features, which make up Li-Fraumeni-like syndromes (LFL). Germline missense mutations of TP53 are the primary cause of LFS and LFL. Mutations mostly reside in the DNA-binding domain of the gene and have a dominant-negative effect (DNE) over alternate wild-type alleles. Germline TP53 mutation c.566C>T results in the missense mutation GCC (Ala) to GTC (Val) at codon 189 (A189V) and has been reported in a case of multiple primary colon tumors. Herein we report a second case of the same mutation in a breast cancer patient, who has familial history of late-onset malignancies. Due to the relatively late onset of malignancies, neither case fulfils previously defined criteria for the syndrome. Mutational analysis for breast tissue in this patient showed a loss of heterozygosity. These clinical features may suggest a relatively weak DNE of A189V compared to other TP53 mutations, and in silico predictions and in vitro findings of the function of A189V mutant protein are conflicting. Considering the increased risk of malignancies and the therapeutic implications for patients who have a TP53 mutation, care must be taken when treating those who are suspected of possessing cancer-prone traits due to TP53 mutation, especially when there is a family history of late-onset cancer with low penetrance.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Breast Neoplasms/complications/*diagnosis/therapy ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Exons ; Female ; Genotype ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Li-Fraumeni Syndrome/complications/*diagnosis/therapy ; Middle Aged ; Multimodal Imaging ; Mutation, Missense ; Pedigree ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics ; Young Adult