Acupuncture for Hot Flashes in Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer, a Randomized Controlled Trial

Inclusion Criteria: * History of histologically or cytologically proven Stage I-III breast cancer with estrogen receptor positive with HER-2 positive or negative tumor; * Premenopausal or postmenopausal status; * Completed all primary chemotherapy and surgery; * Currently undergoing adjuvant hormonal therapy (e.g. Tamoxifen and/or Aromatase inhibitors) with or without ovarian function suppression for at least 4 weeks at study entry; the use of Trastuzumab after adjuvant chemotherapy is allowed; * Reported persistent hot flashes for at least 4 weeks AND more than 14 episodes of hot flashes per week (2 hot flashes per day) during the week prior to the study entry; * Age ≥ 18 years; * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1; * Signed informed consent Exclusion Criteria: Undergoing chemotherapy or planned surgery, chemotherapy, change doses and regimen of hormonal therapy during the study period; * Unstable cardiac disease or myocardial infarction within 6 months prior to study entry; * Uncontrolled seizure disorder or history of seizure; * Active clinically significant uncontrolled infection; * Use of acupuncture for hot flashes within 6 months prior to the study entry; * Uncontrolled major psychiatric disorders, such as major depression or psychosis; * Newly starting pharmacologic treatment of hot flashes such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and/or anti-convulsant for less than 4 weeks prior to study entry. Participants may …