Acupuncture in Treating Hot Flashes in Patients With Prostate Cancer

RATIONALE: Acupuncture may help relieve hot flashes in patients with prostate cancer. PURPOSE: This clinical trial is studying how well acupuncture works in treating hot flashes in patients with prostate cancer who are undergoing androgen deprivation.

OBJECTIVES: Determine the impact of acupuncture therapy on the frequency and intensity of hot flashes and the quality of life of patients with prostate cancer undergoing androgen deprivation. Determine if blood serotonin and urinary 5-HIAA are increased in patients treated with acupuncture. Determine if plasma calcitonin gene-related peptide and MHPG are reduced in patients with hot flashes due to androgen deprivation treated with acupuncture. Determine the ability of tongue diagnosis, a traditional Chinese clinical assessment method, to predict clinical and biological changes in these patients. Determine the effect of acupuncture on insomnia and loss of vitality caused by hot flashes in these patients. OUTLINE: Patients undergo acupuncture for 30 minutes twice weekly for 4 weeks and then once weekly for an additional 6 weeks. Quality of life is assessed at baseline, at weeks 2, 4, 6, and 10, and then at 6 weeks after completion of study treatment. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed at 6 weeks. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 25 patients will be accrued for this study.

fatigue, recurrent prostate cancer, stage II prostate cancer, stage III prostate cancer, stage IV prostate cancer, hot flashes

Acupuncture treatments will be administered by a qualified practitioner twice a week for the first four weeks and once per week for an additional 6 weeks. Sterile, disposable Seirin needles will be placed bilaterally at the point Gallbladder 34, and along the spine at Bladder 15, Bladder 23, and Bladder 32. Low intensity electrostimulation at 2 Hz will be used for both Bladder 23 and Bladder 32. Points will also be placed unilaterally at Governing vessel 20, Heart 7, Pericardium 6, Liver 2, and Spleen 6

Patients will utilize the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to assess if the patient is an overall good sleeper or a poor sleeper.

Patients will be asked to report hot flash frequency and severity daily using the hot flash diary (HFD) and hot flash severity guidelines (HFSG) throughout the treatment period.

Hot Flash Related Daily Interference Scale (HFRDIS)will be used to self-report hot flash related quality of life.

Reduced hot flash frequency and intensity as measured by hot flash score from hot flash diary at 4 weeks after initiation of study treatment

Reduced hot flash frequency and intensity as measured by hot flash score from hot flash diary at 10 weeks after initiation of study treatment

Reduced hot flash frequency and intensity as measured by hot flash score from hot flash diary at 16 weeks after initiation of study treatment

Improved quality of life as measured by hot flash related-quality of life (HFR-QOL) and elements of short form health survey (SF-36) at 4 weeks after initiation of study treatment

Improved quality of life as measured by hot flash related-quality of life (HFR-QOL) and elements of short form health survey (SF-36) at 10 weeks after initiation of study treatment

Improved quality of life as measured by hot flash related-quality of life (HFR-QOL) and elements of short form health survey (SF-36) at 16 weeks after initiation of study treatment

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Confirmed diagnosis of prostate cancer Hot flash score ≥ 4 per day Prior or concurrent treatment with 1 of the following : Bilateral orchiectomy Gonadotropin releasing-hormone (GnRH) agonist or antagonist therapy Antiandrogen therapy PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Performance status Not specified Life expectancy Not specified Hematopoietic Not specified Hepatic Not specified Renal Not specified Other No mental impairment PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Chemotherapy No concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy See Disease Characteristics More than 4 weeks since prior estrogen or progestational drugs Surgery See Disease Characteristics No prior placement of a pacemaker or other implantable electrical device Other More than 4 weeks since prior gabapentin No concurrent antidepressant drugs