Objective: To observe the clinical effect of thunder-fire moxibustion in the treatment of qi deficiency-induced fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Methods: Sixty breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy were randomly divided into thunder-fire moxibustion (Moxi) and conventional nursing (nursing) groups (n＝30 in each group). Patients in the Moxi group were treated with thunder-fire moxibustion applied to the back part of body from Pishu (BL 20) to Qihaishu (BL 24) on the bilateral sides and to the abdominal part from Zhongwan (CV 12) to Guanyuan (CV 4) for 30 min, once a day for 14 days. Patients in the nursing group were treated with health education and conventional nursing care. The simple fatigue scale, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score, clinical curative effect were observed before and after the treatment, and white blood cell (WBC) count was observed 5 days ofter chemotherapy and after the treatment respectively.
Results: After the treatment, the simple fatigue scales and TCM syndrome scores were significantly decreased and WBC counts were significantly increased in both groups relevant to their individual pre-treatment (P<0.01). The therapeutic effect of the Moxi group was appa-rently superior to that of the nursing group in lowering the simple fatigue scale and TCM syndrome score and in up-regulating WBC count (P<0.01, P<0.05). The total effective rate of the Moxi group was significantly higher than that of the nursing group (83.3%[25/30]vs 36.7% [11/30], P<0.01).
Conclusion: Thunder-fire moxibustion can effectively relieve the degree of fatigue and the symptoms of qi deficiency in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Keywords: Breast cancer; Cancer-related fatigue; Clinical research; Thunder-fire moxibustion.