Acupuncture for Joint Pain Associated with Aromatase Inhibitors for Breast Cancer

Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) increase disease-free survival in menopausal women with hormone–receptor-positive breast cancer, but half of such women experience AI-associated musculoskeletal pain that leads to discontinuation of therapy. Does acupuncture reduce joint pain associated with AIs? U.S. investigators at 11 academic sites conducted a blinded trial in which 226 postmenopausal women receiving an AI for early-stage breast cancer who reported pain scores of ≥3 (out of 10) were randomized to true acupuncture, sham acupuncture (shallow needling at non–acupuncture points), or waitlist control (no intervention). Both acupuncture groups received 6 weeks of biweekly acupuncture followed by 6 weeks of once-weekly sessions.

Between baseline and 6…