Traditional Acupuncture Improves Cancer-Related Cognitive Difficulties in Breast Cancer Survivors
Key Clinical Takeaways
- Both traditional and sham acupuncture led to clinically meaningful improvements in perceived cognitive impairment compared with usual care, with benefits sustained at 26 weeks.
- Traditional acupuncture was superior to sham acupuncture in improving objective cognitive function as measured by the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test.
- Acupuncture was safe and well-tolerated, with mostly mild adverse events and no serious treatment-related complications reported.
Jun Mao, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, discusses results from a randomized clinical trial evaluating acupuncture for cancer-related cognitive difficulties in breast cancer survivors.
Traditional acupuncture significantly improved perceived cognitive impairment compared with usual care and demonstrated superior benefit over sham acupuncture for objective cognitive function, with effects sustained through 26 weeks.
These findings were presented at the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in San Antonio, Texas.
Source:
Mao J, Li X, Li Y, et al. Effects of acupuncture vs sham acupuncture and usual care on cancer-related cognitive difficulties among breast cancer survivors: The ENHANCE randomized clinical trial. Presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. December 8-13, 2025. San Antonio, Texas. Abstract GS3-04
