Vitamin D relieves joint, muscle pain for breast cancer patients

Washington University doctors have found that high-dose vitamin D helps relieve joint and muscle pain in breast cancer patients taking estrogen-lowering drugs. Known as aromatase inhibitors, the drugs are prescribed to treat breast tumors fueled by the hormone estrogen. They are less toxic than chemotherapy, but many patients experience severe musculoskeletal discomfort, including pain and stiffness in the hands, knees, hips, lower back, shoulders and feet.

Vitamin D relieves joint, muscle pain for breast cancer patients

Dr Dawn Hershmann speaks with ecancer at SABCS 2017 about managing the joint pain of breast cancer patients receiving aromatase inhibitors with acupuncture.

She describes how, in a trial against sham acupuncture and waiting-list control, true acupuncture was found to relieve pain and, she hopes, improve treatment adherence.