Comparing Acupuncture vs. Sham Acupuncture for the Management of Hot Flashes in Prostate Cancer Patients Receiving Hormone Therapy

Hot flashes are a common and bothersome side effect experienced by men receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer. Symptoms may include sudden warmth, sweating, flushing, sleep disturbance, fatigue, mood changes, and reduced quality of life. Although medications such as antidepressants may help some patients, these treatments may also cause side effects and are not effective for all individuals. Acupuncture has been studied as a non-drug approach for management of hot flashes, but additional prospective studies are needed in men with prostate cancer receiving ADT.

This study is a prospective clinical study evaluating acupuncture for the management of ADT-related hot flashes in men with prostate cancer. Participants will undergo acupuncture treatment during the active treatment phase according to the study treatment schedule.

The study will evaluate changes in:

Hot flash frequency Hot flash severity Hot flash-related quality of life Interference of hot flashes with daily activities, sleep, mood, and social functioning

Patient-reported outcomes will be collected using standardized symptom assessments, including:

A Hot Flash Daily Diary The Hot Flash Related Daily Interference Scale (HFRDIS)

Participants will complete a daily hot flash diary during predefined 7-day assessment windows at baseline, during treatment, at the end of treatment, and during follow-up. The diary records the number and severity of hot flashes experienced over a 24-hour period. Participants will also complete questionnaires evaluating how hot flashes affect daily activities and quality of life.

The study includes follow-up assessments after completion of acupuncture treatment to evaluate the durability of symptom improvement over time.

The primary objective of the study is to assess whether acupuncture reduces hot flash burden in men receiving ADT for prostate cancer. Secondary objectives include evaluation of quality-of-life outcomes, symptom trajectory over time, treatment feasibility, and patient adherence to acupuncture-based symptom management.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with history of prostate cancer with currently receiving hormone therapy or had received hormone therapy in the past two years
• Hormone therapies may include androgen deprivation therapy ( ADT; e.g., leuprolide, degarelix, or relugolix) or androgen signaling inhibitors (e.g., enzalutamide, apalutamide, or darolutamide) or adrenal steroid synthesis inhibitor (e.g., abiraterone acetate).
• Patients may also receive additional treatments such as chemotherapy, radioligand therapy or target therapy in combination with hormone therapy.
• Reports hot flashes at least twice per day. Patients may already be taking medications for hot flashes. There is no limit on the number of hot flash medications they can be using.
• ECOG performance status =3 (see Appendix A).
• Patients may participate in other therapeutic clinical trials for the treatment of prostate cancer. They will remain eligible as long as they meet the eligible criteria.
• Patients with treated brain metastases are eligible if follow-up brain imaging after central nervous system (CNS)-directed therapy shows no evidence of progression.
• Patients with new or progressive brain metastases (active brain metastases) or leptomeningeal disease are eligible if the treating physician determines that immediate CNS specific treatment is not required and is unlikely to be required during the first cycle of therapy.
• Patients with a prior or concurrent malignancy are eligible for this trial.
• Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document. Legally authorized representatives may sign and give informed consent on behalf of study participants.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients can't travel for acupuncture
• Patients with high bleeding tendency as determined by PI