Fatigue as a Late Effect in Breast Cancer Survivors - is Acupuncture a Treatment Option?

The success of treatment of breast cancer has improved, hence the prevalence of survivors have increased. However, experienced late effects from the cancer itself or from cancer treatment is substantial. Anti-cancer treatment can have a number of side effects including nausea, fatigue, vomiting, anorexia and alopecia. Late effects such as cancer related fatigue (CRF) are very persistent. CRF is a common side effect of cancer therapy, and affects the quality of life of patients and their families. It is important to point out that CRF is a form of fatigue that are different from normal fatigue which everyone can experience every now and then. Acupuncture is increasingly used in cancer centers both in the US and Europe, and that patients are positive to using acupuncture. Albeit the emerging evidence for acupuncture and CRF, acupuncture has neither been offered as a treatment for CRF within a Norwegian hospital nor in general practice. Hence the investigators think there is a need for a large randomized controlled trial (RCT) in a Norwegian health care setting.