Preoperative Relaxation Training and Acupuncture to Minimize Perioperative Symptoms in Breast Cancer Patients

Breast cancer surgery is associated with presurgical psychological distress and clinically significant side effects including postsurgical pain, nausea and fatigue. A few studies have examined how to intervene to assist women undergoing breast cancer surgery. For example presurgical hypnosis has been proven to decrease side effects and even intraoperative anesthesia use. Besides the more psychologically based interventions there are a few studies suggesting positive effects of acupuncture on pain, anxiety and nausea in surgery patients.This study aims to investigate whether a presurgical relaxation training, acupuncture treatment or a combination of both therapies is able to reduce presurgical psychological distress an postsurgical side effects in breast cancer patients in comparison to usual care.