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There is growing interest in developing non-pharmacological treatments that could boost natural defenses against cancer and contribute to primary and secondary cancer prevention. Recent studies have shown that gentle daily stretching for 10 minutes can reduce local connective tissue inflammation and fibrosis. Because mechanical factors within the stroma can influence the tumor microenvironment, we hypothesized that stretching would reduce the growth of tumors implanted within locally stretched tissues and tested this hypothesis in a mouse orthotopic breast cancer model. Female FVB mice (N = 66) underwent bilateral injection of p53/PTEN double-null primary mouse mammary tumor cells into the third mammary fat pad. Mice were randomized to stretch vs. no stretch, and treated for 10 minutes once a day, for four weeks. Tumor volume at end-point was 52% smaller in the stretch group, compared to the no-stretch group (p < 0.001) in the absence of any other treatment. Cytotoxic immune responses were activated and levels of Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators were elevated in the stretch group. These results suggest a link between immune exhaustion, inflammation resolution and tumor growth. Stretching is a gentle, non-pharmacological intervention that could become an important component of cancer treatment and prevention.
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Neoplasias de la Mama/patología , Ejercicios de Estiramiento Muscular , Animales , Neoplasias de la Mama/metabolismo , Citocinas/análisis , Citocinas/metabolismo , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Progresión de la Enfermedad , Ácidos Docosahexaenoicos/análisis , Femenino , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica , Ratones , Fosfohidrolasa PTEN/deficiencia , Fosfohidrolasa PTEN/genética , Microambiente Tumoral , Proteína p53 Supresora de Tumor/deficiencia , Proteína p53 Supresora de Tumor/genéticaRESUMEN
During acupuncture treatments, acupuncture needles are manipulated to elicit the characteristic "de qi" reaction widely viewed as essential to acupuncture's therapeutic effect. De qi has a biomechanical component, "needle grasp," which we have quantified by measuring the force necessary to pull an acupuncture needle out of the skin (pullout force) in 60 human subjects. We hypothesized that pullout force is greater with both bidirectional needle rotation (BI) and unidirectional rotation (UNI) than no rotation (NO). Acupuncture needles were inserted, manipulated, and pulled out by using a computer-controlled acupuncture needling instrument at eight acupuncture points and eight control points. We found 167 and 52% increases in mean pullout force with UNI and BI, respectively, compared with NO (repeated-measures ANOVA, P < 0.001). Pullout force was on average 18% greater at acupuncture points than at control points (P < 0.001). Needle grasp is therefore a measurable biomechanical phenomenon associated with acupuncture needle manipulation.
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Acupuntura , Acupuntura/instrumentación , Acupuntura/métodos , Puntos de Acupuntura , Adulto , Fenómenos Biomecánicos , Diseño de Equipo , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Agujas , RotaciónRESUMEN
The mechanism of action of acupuncture remains largely unknown. The reaction to acupuncture needling known as 'de qi', widely viewed as essential to the therapeutic effect of acupuncture, may be a key to understanding its mechanism of action. De qi includes a characteristic needling sensation, perceived by the patient, and 'needle grasp' perceived by the acupuncturist. During needle grasp, the acupuncturist feels pulling and increased resistance to further movement of the inserted needle. We hypothesize that 1) needle grasp is due to mechanical coupling between the needle and connective tissue with winding of tissue around the needle during needle rotation and 2) needle manipulation transmits a mechanical signal to connective tissue cells via mechanotransduction. Such a mechanism may explain local and remote, as well as long-term effects of acupuncture.
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Terapia por Acupuntura , Tejido Conectivo/fisiología , Transducción de Señal , Animales , Comunicación Autocrina , Colágeno/ultraestructura , Tejido Conectivo/anatomía & histología , Tejido Conectivo/inervación , Técnicas de Cultivo , Fibroblastos/citología , Humanos , Mecanorreceptores/fisiología , Modelos Biológicos , Agujas , Manejo del Dolor , Comunicación Paracrina , Ratas , Piel , Estrés Mecánico , TorqueRESUMEN
This article is intended to assist physicians in giving advice to their patients about acupuncture. Despite 20 years of research, the efficacy of acupuncture in general is not established. One of the difficulties with drawing conclusions from the existing literature is that the term acupuncture is used to describe a variety of treatments that differ in many important aspects, both theoretical and technical. This article critically reviews the existing evidence supporting the various effects that have been proposed to result from acupuncture treatments. The evidence is classified according to level of effect (eg, local, segmental, generalized) and type of acupuncture treatment (eg, manual v electrical acupuncture).
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Terapia por Acupuntura , Terapias Complementarias/educación , Humanos , Manejo del Dolor , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
This article reviews the current pathophysiology of painful peripheral neuropathies, their differential diagnosis, and management.