Effects of acupuncture on improving sleep quality and the risk of emotional maladjustment of breast cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Breast cancer patients often struggle with poor sleep and emotional challenges like anxiety and depression during treatment. Researchers wanted to know if acupuncture could help improve these quality-of-life issues. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined 11 studies involving 1,116 breast cancer patients to evaluate acupuncture's effects on sleep quality and emotional well-being.

The researchers found that acupuncture provided statistically significant improvements in several areas compared to standard care. Patients receiving acupuncture showed better sleep quality based on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, with meaningful reductions in scores. They also experienced less fatigue, as measured by the Brief Fatigue Scale. Importantly, acupuncture helped reduce both anxiety and depression symptoms, with improvements shown on standardized hospital anxiety and depression scales.

What this means for patients: If you're a breast cancer patient dealing with insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, or depression, acupuncture may offer meaningful relief alongside your conventional treatments. The improvements were modest but consistent across multiple studies. While acupuncture appears to be a helpful complementary therapy, it's important to understand that the researchers noted some limitations in the quality of existing studies, meaning more rigorous research is still needed.

Acupuncture was generally well-tolerated in these studies, making it a relatively safe option to discuss with your oncology team. The benefits appear to extend beyond just one symptom, potentially improving multiple aspects of quality of life during breast cancer treatment. To ensure safety and effectiveness, seek treatment from a licensed acupuncturist with experience treating cancer patients.

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated acupuncture's efficacy for sleep disturbances and emotional symptoms in breast cancer patients. Eleven RCTs comprising 1,116 participants were analyzed using Cochrane-recommended methodology with data extracted from five major databases through April 2025.

Key findings demonstrated statistically significant improvements favoring acupuncture: PSQI scores (MD = -1.38, 95%CI = -2.45 to -0.31), BFI scores (MD = -2.30, 95%CI = -5.62 to -1.03), HADS-A (MD = -1.24, 95%CI = -2.41 to -0.35), and HADS-D (MD = -1.18, 95%CI = -2.15 to -0.20). ISI scores showed favorable trends but did not reach statistical significance (MD = -1.11, 95%CI = -3.68 to 1.45).

Clinical implications: Acupuncture demonstrates modest but clinically relevant benefits for sleep quality, fatigue, anxiety, and depression in breast cancer patients. However, authors caution that methodological limitations and heterogeneity in included studies warrant careful interpretation. Acupuncture may serve as an effective adjunctive therapy for managing treatment-related symptoms and improving quality of life in this population.