The Clinical Study Of Moxibustion Preventing And Controlling Lymphedema For Patients With Breast Cancer After Operation

Objective To estimate curative effectiveness of pericardium meridian moxibustion therapy preventing and controlling lymphedema and improving the quality of life for patients with breast cancer after operation.Methods This research used randomized controlled trial. During March2011to September2011,80breast cancer patients after modified radical mastectomy undergoing chemotherapy from a third-grade class-A hospital were randomly divided into1:1ratio according to experimental group and control group,40patients each. The experimental group was accepted the routine nursing and pericardium meridian moxibustion therapy during the first, second and third chemotherapy treatments after operation, three days per therapy. The patients in the control group were only received routine nursing. To compare the difference of lymphedema and quality of life(FACT-B)between the experimental group and the control group after intervention. Results of all the data used SPSS17.0statistical software for analysis, P<0.05for a significant difference.Results①After intervention, the incidence and degree of lymphedema of the experimental group were lower than the control group, the difference was significant(P<0.05). The circle diameters of upper arm midpoint and elbow of experimental group were reduced than that of the control group(P<0.05). Within group comparison, the circle diameters of upper arm midpoint, elbow and the forearm midpoint of experimental group were reduced after intervention(P<0.05),while there was no statistic significance in that of the control group(P>0.05).②After intervention,the total score of the quality of life of the experimental group were higher than before(P<0.05), while that of the control group were lower(P<0.05), the difference was significant(P<0.05). Comparing the two groups, the scores of the experimental group in physical well-being area, emotional well-being area and functional well-being area were higher than that of the control group, the difference was significant(P<0.05). Within group comparison, the score of the experimental group in functional well-being area were higher than before(P<0.05); the scores of the control group in physical well-being area, emotional well-being area were lower(P<0.05).Conclusion Moxibustion could prevent and control the lymphedema of breast cancer patients after operation during chemotherapy, especially could reduce the lymphedema of upper arm and elbow. Moxibustion could improve the quality of life for patients with breast cancer after operation during chemotherapy, especially in physical well-being area, emotional well-being area and functional well-being area.