SynthesisFrontiers in oncology2025
How effective is acupuncture in treating hot flashes in breast cancer patients? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Although acupuncture is recommended for managing breast cancer-related hot flashes, the level of evidence is limited. With the updating of randomized controlled trials, it is necessary to reassess its efficacy. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of hot flashes in patients with breast cancer. Methods: Up to March 2024, we retrieved data from nine databases and used Stata software (version 14.0, version 17.0) and RevMan software (version 5.3) to conduct a meta-analysis. The Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias assessment tool was used for methodological assessment of the risk of bias, and the GRADEpro GDT online assessment tool was used for evidence evaluation. Results: In total, 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involved 963 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The result of risk of bias revealed that the included RCTs exhibited a high risk of bias, primarily attributable to deficiencies in randomization and blinding methods. The results of primary meta-analysis indicated that acupuncture can improved the hot flash symptom scale score (SMD, -0.54; 95% CI, -0.83 to -0.24; Conclusions: Although acupuncture treatment for hot flashes in breast cancer shows potential, the evidence for the efficacy of acupuncture is still lacking due to various factors such as bias risk and significant differences between studies, and more high-quality RCTs are needed to confirm the efficacy of acupuncture. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42024531542.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.