Acupuncture Offers Protective Effect Against CIPN in Patients With Colorectal Cancer

Patients with stage III colorectal cancer who are given acupuncture concurrently with the chemotherapy drug oxaliplatin experience some protection from chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), according to research published in The Oncologist.

Researchers conducted a single center, randomized, controlled, single-blind clinical trial to compare stage III colorectal cancer patients who received verum acupuncture with those who received sham acupuncture treatment. All of the participants were attending outpatient clinics in China, and all were receiving chemotherapy. The median age for both groups of patients was 52.

Half of the 32 participating patients were randomly assigned to undergo biweekly verum acupuncture, with the remaining 16 receiving sham acupuncture treatments. Three of the patients assigned to each group, however, did not receive the treatments, so the results of a total of 26 patients were analyzed. All of the treatments were administered by the same acupuncturist.

Since primary outcomes were nerve conduction velocity (NCV) and touch thresholds of limb terminals, the researchers conducted NCV and von Frey monofilament tests to assess nerve impairment along motor and sensory fibers. Patients also were assessed with questionnaires such as the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), the FACT/GOG (Gynecologic Oncology Group) Neurotoxicity (Ntx) subscale, and the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF).

The researchers observed significant changes from baseline for both groups for sensory NCV and questionnaire scores. However, they found that verum acupuncture was more protective than sham acupuncture on touch thresholds in the prevention of CIPN, and this beneficial effect on the touch threshold lasted for at least 6 months after the intervention was completed. No adverse effects were reported, they added.

“Our study found that the prophylactic use of acupuncture exerts neuroprotective effects to touch thresholds of all 4 limbs during chemotherapy and at 6 months of follow-up,” the researchers concluded. “Verum acupuncture appeared to exert a protective effect by reducing motor NCV values. Further studies with a larger sample, comprehensive assessments, and appropriate placebo controls are warranted.”

Reference

Huang MC, Chang SC, Liao WL, et al. Acupuncture may help to prevent chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a randomized, sham-controlled, single-blind study. Oncologist. Published online March 27, 2023. doi:10.1093/oncolo/oyad065