Acupuncture For Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy Research Articles

Receiving acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: A nested qualitative study

Therapies such as acupuncture are being increasingly used as an integrative treatment for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). This study aimed to explore the experience of participating in a clinical study of acupuncture for CIPN. This qualitative study was nested within a trial (n = 120) with participants randomised to 10 sessions of acupuncture or the control group wait list for acupuncture posttrial. Participants (n = 23) volunteered to be interviewed either by telephone (n = 20) or face-to-face (3). The audiotapes were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a thematic approach. Analysis of qualitative data identified 4 key themes: 1. Information, motivation, and allocation – participants expressed positive expectations and hoped that acupuncture would improve symptoms of CIPN. 2. Acupuncture experiences – participants reported beneficial effects of acupuncture on their CIPN symptoms and quality of life. 3. Trial experience and procedures – some participants disclosed some difficulty in completing the trial but also felt their CIPN was being taken seriously. 4. Suggestions for improving the study – recommendations were made for future studies about recruitment and the questionnaires. Participants in the treatment arm were largely delighted and many experienced benefits, including effects on other symptoms. There were some non-responders in those interviewed, but most valued the experience of taking part. The findings from this nested study would be useful to refine procedures and protocols in any future large multisite trial. Trial No. NCT02275403 on Clinicaltrials.gov

A randomized phase III clinical trial of acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in survivors of cancer.

TPS12144 Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common and debilitating side effect in cancer survivors that can last long after completion of neurotoxic chemotherapy. Patients with CIPN often experience neuropathy symptoms such as pain, tingling, numbness, paresthesia, and dysesthesia, which can lead to significant functional decline and diminished quality of life. This outcome highlights the importance of developing effective CIPN treatments to improve quality of life for this population. Identifying nonpharmacological approaches to reduce CIPN symptoms and improve cancer survivors’ outcomes is urgently needed. Acupuncture is a widely used, minimally invasive Traditional Chinese Medicine technique that has shown promising evidence as an effective and safe treatment for CIPN. We hypothesize that acupuncture may reduce CIPN pain and improve overall CIPN symptoms in cancer survivors. Methods: We are conducting a two-arm, parallel randomized clinical trial comparing electroacupuncture (EA) versus sham acupuncture (SA) in cancer survivors. The EA arm includes ten sessions of EA over eight weeks using a standardized, semi-fixed protocol developed by our group. The SA arm includes a sham technique that uses a combination of non-acupuncture points and a non-insertion procedure in ten sessions over eight weeks. The primary outcome of this study is the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form average pain item. The secondary outcomes are quantitative sensory testing measures and patient-reported outcomes that include the Neuropathic Pain Scale, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group-Neurotoxicity, CIPN-20, PROMIS Global Health Scale, and Patients' Global Impression of Change. The primary end point is week 12 and the secondary end point is week 24; treatment effects are assessed at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, 12, 18, and 24. The eligibility criteria includes: 1) Patients must be have no evidence of disease or have stable disease; 2) CIPN diagnosis with moderate-to-severe CIPN pain, defined by a score of 4 or greater on a scale 0-10 numerical scale rating; 3) completed neurotoxic chemotherapy at least three months prior; and 4) no changes in anti-neuropathy medications within three months of enrollment. As of February 2023, we have accrued 89 participants, with a total accrual target of 250 participants. Accrual completion is anticipated by December 2024. The demographic breakdown of our participants is as following: 71% white, 15% black or African American, 10% Asian, 3% more than one race, and 1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. 89% of the participants are non-Hispanic or Latino, 10% are Hispanic or Latino, and 1% are unknown. 71% of the participants are female and 29% are male. Clinical trial information: NCT04917796 .

Mechanistic and thermal characterization of acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy as measured by quantitative sensory testing.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common and debilitating side effect of chemotherapy. Acupuncture is a promising non-pharmacological intervention for CIPN. However, the physiological effects of acupuncture treatment remain poorly understood. We examined the effects of acupuncture on CIPN using semi-objective quantitative sensory testing (QST). We conducted a randomized controlled trial of real acupuncture (RA) and sham acupuncture (SA) compared to usual care (UC) in cancer survivors with moderate-to-severe CIPN. Treatment response was assessed with QST measures of tactile and vibration detection thresholds in hands and feet, thermal detection, and pain thresholds at weeks 0, 8, and 12. Constrained linear mixed model (cLMM) regression was used for statistical analysis. 63 patients completed QST testing. At week 8, vibrational detection thresholds in feet were significantly lower in RA and SA (p = 0.019 and p = 0.046) than in UC, with no difference between RA and SA (p = 0.637). Both RA and SA also showed significantly higher cool thermal detection than UC (p = 0.008 and p = 0.013, respectively), with no difference between RA and SA (p = 0.790). No differences in tactile detection, vibrational detection in hands, warm thermal detection, and thermal pain thresholds were detected among the three arms at weeks 8 and 12. QST demonstrated different patterns in RA, SA, and UC. After eight weeks of RA, we observed significant improvements in the vibrational detection threshold in feet and cool thermal detection threshold in hands compared to UC. No significant differences were seen when compared to SA. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03183037); June 9, 2017.

A randomized phase III clinical trial of acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in cancer survivors.

TPS12145 Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common and debilitating side effect in cancer survivors that can last long after completion of neurotoxic chemotherapy. Patients with CIPN often experience neuropathy symptoms such as pain, tingling, numbness, paresthesia, and dysesthesia, which can lead to significant functional decline and diminished quality of life (QoL). Our prior study showed that more than half of breast cancer survivors who received taxane-based chemotherapy experienced persistent peripheral neuropathy symptoms for a mean duration of 5.6 years after completing chemotherapy. This outcome highlights the importance of developing effective CIPN treatments to improve cancer survivors’ QoL. Identifying nonpharmacological approaches to reduce CIPN symptoms and improve cancer survivors’ outcomes is urgently needed. Acupuncture is a widely used, minimally invasive Traditional Chinese Medicine technique that has shown promising evidence as an effective and safe treatment for CIPN. We hypothesize that acupuncture may reduce CIPN pain and improve overall CIPN symptoms in cancer survivors. Methods: We are conducting a two-arm, parallel randomized clinical trial comparing electroacupunture (EA) versus sham acupuncture (SA) in cancer survivors at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY. The EA arm includes a total of ten sessions of EA over eight weeks using a standardized, semi-fixed protocol developed by our group based on the previously published pilot study (NCT03183037). The SA arm includes a sham technique that uses a combination of non-acupuncture points and a non-insertion procedure in ten sessions over eight weeks. The primary outcome of this study is the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF) average pain item. The secondary outcomes are quantitative sensory testing measures and additional patient-reported outcomes that include the BPI-SF pain interference subscale, Neuropathic Pain Scale (NPS), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group-Neurotoxicity (FACT/GOG-Ntx), CIPN-20, PROMIS Global Health Scale, and Patients’ Global Impression of Change (PGIC). The primary end point is week 12 and the secondary end point is week 24; treatment effects are assessed at baseline and at weeks 4, 8, 12, 18, and 24. Eligibility criteria includes: 1) Moderate-to-severe CIPN pain, defined by a score of 4 or greater on a 0–10 numeric rating scale; 2) completion of neurotoxic chemotherapy at least three months prior to enrollment; and 3) no changes in anti-neuropathy medications within three months of enrollment. We have accrued 30 participants as of February 2022, with a total accrual target of 250 participants. Accrual completion is anticipated by December 2024. Funding resource: NIH R37 CA248563. Clinical trial information: NCT04917796.

Receiving Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: A Nested Qualitative Study

Receiving Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: A Nested Qualitative Study

Overview of Warm Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the common side effects in tumor treatment and has now become a thorny problem limiting tumor treatment. Due to the complex mechanism of CIPN, it is commonly treated clinically with symptomatic treatment, supplemented by sedation and antidepressants, with poor therapeutic effects. In this paper, we review the treatment of CIPN with warm acupuncture in order to provide reference and basis for the clinical treatment of CIPN.

Efficacy of Auricular Acupuncture in Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: A Case Series of 73 Cases.

Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) can adversely affect completion of systemic anticancer treatment and cause long-term morbidity. To date, its physiopathology remains unclear, and treatments are rare and poorly performed. Auricular acupuncture has already offered interesting results in several symptoms. Objective: This study (AACIPN2020) assessed the efficacy of auriculotherapy in CIPN. Design: We used patients' systematically collected data of 2014-2016 in a medical oncology practice. The treatment was made according to guidelines of the interuniversity diploma and the cartography of the World Health Organization. Pain assessment according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Event scale was orally collected. Results: Seventy-three cancer patients were treated for CIPN. They had finished chemotherapy 24 weeks prior on average. They received on average 23 punctures at each appointment. Sixty-five percent of patients met satisfaction, with 31% with a real impact on their daily life. Efficacy appeared after one or two treatments for 96% of cases. Some patients continued treatment to maximize benefits. Conclusions: Auricular acupuncture is a safe and inexpensive method of CIPN treatment. It may be applied earlier in chemotherapy administration, and in a large variety of other symptoms. Clinical trial registration number: COS RGDS 2019 09 001.

Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture against Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective To determine the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. The review has been registered on the “PROSPERO” website; the registration number is CRD42020151654. Methods A comprehensive literature search was performed on 7 electronic databases from the time of inception to March 2020. RCTs studies on acupuncture for CIPN compared with medication or sham acupuncture were included. Statistical analysis was carried out using RevMan 5.3. Results In total, 19 RCTs covering 1174 patients were enrolled. The results showed that acupuncture significantly increased the effective rate of CIPN compared with medicine and sham acupuncture. And acupuncture had a good effect on the recovery of nerve conduction velocity and improving pain. Among the acupoints involved in the treatment of CIPN, LI4, LI11, ST36, EX10 (Bafeng), and EX-UE 9 (Baxie) were the most commonly used. Conclusion The use of acupuncture in the management of CIPN is safe and effective. The most used acupoints for CIPN are LI4, LI11, ST36, EX10 (Bafeng), and EX-UE 9 (Baxie).

The Therapeutic Efficacy of Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: This study aimed to report the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Methods: The articles were sourced from databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI, CiNii, WHO ICTRP, JSOM, KMBASE, KISS, NDSL, and OASIS as of July 2019. The main search keywords were peripheral neuropathy and acupuncture, and only randomized controlled trials using acupuncture for therapeutic purposes were included. Cochrane’s risk of bias was used to assess the risk of bias, and the Review Manager 5.3 program was used for meta-analysis. Results: Six studies with a total 394 participants were included. When combined treatment of acupuncture and usual care was compared with usual care alone, quality of life improved more significantly in the combination treatment group (SMD=-2.71, 95% CI: -5.01 to -0.41, P=0.02, I2=97%). The CIPN pain score was lower among the combination treatment group, but not to a significant degree (SMD=-2.55, 95% CI: -5.14 to 0.04, P<0.05, I2=98%). There were no severe side effects in any studies. Conclusion: Acupuncture combined with usual care may be considered to safely relieve CIPN pain and improve quality of life for cancer patients. However, as there are few randomized controlled trials studying the effect of acupuncture on CIPN, further well-designed research is needed. Keywords: CIPN, acupuncture, chemotherapy, peripheral nervous system diseases, neuropathy, cancer, systematic review, meta-analysis

Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the most debilitating long-term side effects in breast cancer survivors. We conducted a randomized controlled pilot trial to assess the feasibility, safety, and effects of an acupuncture intervention on CIPN in this population. Women with stage I-III breast cancer with grade 1 or higher CIPN after taxane-containing adjuvant chemotherapy were randomized 1:1 to an immediate acupuncture (IA) arm or to a waitlist control group (CG). Participants in the IA arm received 18 sessions of acupuncture over 8 weeks, then received no additional acupuncture. Patients in the CG arm received usual care over 8 weeks, followed by nine sessions of acupuncture over 8 weeks. Measures including Patient Neurotoxicity Questionnaire (PNQ), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Neurotoxicity subscale (FACT-NTX), and Brief Pain Inventory-short form (BPI-SF) were collected at baseline and at 4, 8, and 16 weeks after enrollment. Forty women (median age, 54) were enrolled (20 to IA and 20 to CG), with median time between completion of chemotherapy and enrollment of 14 months (range 1-92). At 8 weeks, participants in the IA arm experienced significant improvements in PNQ sensory score (-1.0 ± 0.9 vs. -0.3 ± 0.6; p = .01), FACT-NTX summary score (8.7 ± 8.9 vs. 1.2 ± 5.4; p = .002), and BPI-SF pain severity score (-1.1 ± 1.7 vs. 0.3 ± 1.5; p = .03), compared with those in the CG arm. No serious side effects were observed. Women with CIPN after adjuvant taxane therapy for breast cancer experienced significant improvements in neuropathic symptoms from an 8-week acupuncture treatment regimen. Additional larger studies are needed to confirm these findings. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a toxicity that often persists for months to years after the completion of adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer. In a randomized pilot trial of 40 breast cancer survivors with CIPN, an 8-week acupuncture intervention (vs. usual care) led to a statistically and clinically significant improvement in subjective sensory symptoms including neuropathic pain and paresthesia. Given the lack of effective therapies and established safety profile of acupuncture, clinicians may consider acupuncture as a treatment option for mild to moderate CIPN in practice.

Acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a randomised controlled pilot study

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) can cause loss of independence and poor quality of life (QoL) due to severe disabilities, but in spite of its importance there is still a lack...

A systematic review of acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

In cancer patients, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (cipn) is a common complication, characterized by pain, loss of sensation, and numbness. Medical treatment for peripheral neuropathies has been shown to be ineffective for cipn. Acupuncture has been shown to be safe and effective in treating cancer-related symptoms and other peripheral neuropathies. For the present review, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of cipn. Comprehensive searches for relevant studies were conducted in Ovid embase, the Web of Science, Ovid medline, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (central), cinahl (ebsco Information Services, Ipswich, MA, U.S.A.), and the ClinicalTrials.gov Web site. References from previous systematic reviews were also searched. Additional trials were found in the reference lists of relevant papers and in searches of Google Scholar and acupuncture-specific Web sites. Included studies were randomized controlled trials (rcts) of any type of acupuncture used to treat patients with cipn. Three clinical trials (203 participants) were included. Two studies found acupuncture to be effective in alleviating cipn pain and improving quality of life. One study found no benefit in improving neuropathic pain, symptoms, or quality of life. Study quality was variable and included a moderate overall risk of bias. The evidence is insufficient to recommend acupuncture for the treatment or prevention of cipn. Further research is needed to evaluate the effects of acupuncture in the treatment of cipn. Given that acupuncture is considered safe and might provide relief for patients, it can be considered at the clinician's discretion.

Clinical Trial of Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Clinical Trial of Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

The Efficacy of Acupuncture in Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) has no cure, but acupuncture may provide relief through its known neuromodulation or neuroendocrine adjustment. This review aimed to assess the efficacy of acupuncture in treating CIPN. Method: A literature review following the PRISMA Statement was performed, searching 7 databases from inception through August 2019. All studies were clinical trials of the effect of acupuncture on CIPN. The methodological quality of these trials was assessed using Cochrane criteria; meta-analysis software (RevMan 5.2) was used to analyze the data. Data Sources: The databases searched were the following: MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Scopus, World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), and Wanfang Med Online. Results: We examined 386 cancer patients from 6 randomized control trials, which had high quality, based on the modified Jadad scale. Meta-analysis showed that acupuncture led to significant improvements in pain scores (−1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −1.61 to −0.82, P < .00001) and nervous system symptoms based on Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Neurotoxicity questionnaire scores (−2.02, 95% CI = −2.21 to −1.84, P < .00001). No significant change was noted in nerve conduction velocity (1.58, 95% CI = −2.67 to 5.83, P = .47). Conclusion: Acupuncture can effectively relieve CIPN pain and functional limitation. The limited number of subjects warrants a larger scale study.

Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) in Breast Cancer: ACU-CIPN a Pilot Study

Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) in Breast Cancer: ACU-CIPN a Pilot Study

Treatment of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Integrative Oncology: A Survey of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Practitioners.

Complementary and alternative medicine is increasingly integrated into cancer care. We sought detail on the treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) with acupuncture and oriental medicine (AOM) by surveying practitioners at integrative oncology (IO) sites across the United States. Online survey of licensed acupuncturists. IO sites in the United States. Fifteen licensed acupuncturists who completed the survey between February 2014 and June 2014. Demographics, IO setting characteristics, AOM treatment characteristics, and practitioner-reported outcomes. Respondents reported an average of 31.3 ± 17.2 patients per week, and one-third (10.1 mean; 7.2 standard deviation [SD]) were treated for CIPN. Medical doctors (86.7%) were the most common providers with whom respondents worked. Traditional Chinese medicine style acupuncture was utilized by a majority of respondents (86.7%), and the most commonly used points were local, typically in the hands and feet, such as Ba Feng, Ba Xie, LV3, and LI4. In addition to acupuncture, nutritional advice was the most frequent auxiliary modality provided by respondents (85.7%). On average, respondents provided 12.75 ± 4.17 treatments for CIPN patients, and a majority (53%) reported treating patients once per week. Timing of the treatments relative to chemotherapy infusion was evenly distributed between "1-2 days after infusion" (60%), "at time of infusion" (53.3%), and "1-2 days before infusion" (46.7%). Sixty percent of respondents rated outcomes as "moderately successful with moderate improvement seen." This survey provides detail regarding IO sites using acupuncture for CIPN as well as real-world treatment patterns, including common point combinations, visit characteristics, and practitioner-reported outcomes. This information contributes to the emerging evidence on the use of acupuncture to address unmet needs of CIPN patients, and supports the development of best practice guidelines for the treatment of CIPN with acupuncture in the IO setting.

Abstract PD4-01: Acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in breast cancer, preliminary results of a pilot randomized controlled trial

Abstract BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the major dose-limiting side effects in breast cancer patients, with up to 97% of patients receiving an adjuvant taxane experiencing this symptom in the months and years after breast cancer treatment. CIPN often leads to loss of physical function; difficulties in activities of daily living and decreased of quality of life (QOL). Few effective interventions have been developed to alleviate CIPN in this patient population. We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial to assess the feasibility, safety and preliminary effect of an acupuncture intervention on CIPN in breast cancer survivors. METHODS: Patients with stage I-III breast cancer who were experiencing CIPN after the completion of a taxane-containing adjuvant chemotherapy regimen were enrolled and randomized 1:1 to immediate participation in an acupuncture intervention or to a delayed intervention control group. Participants randomized to the acupuncture arm received 18 sessions of a standardized acupuncture protocol over 8 weeks while the control group received a lower-dose acupuncture protocol consisting of 9 acupuncture sessions over 8 weeks, after the initial 8-week control period. Measures including the Patient Neurotoxicity Questionnaire (PNQ), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Neurotoxicity subscale (FACT-NTX), and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy 20 (EORTC QLQ-CIPN20) were collected at baseline and at 8 weeks after enrollment. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients were enrolled; 20 were randomized to the immediate acupuncture group and 20 to control. All enrolled patients were female, median age was 54, median time between enrollment and completion of chemotherapy was 14.3 months, and 72.5% of participants were White. Thirty-two patients (84%) completed at least 80% of the required sessions. No serious acupuncture-related side effects were observed. Participants randomized to the acupuncture arm experienced improvements in the PNQ sensory score (p=0.02), FACT-NTX summary score (p=0.002) and EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 score (p=0.006), respectively equivalent to 40%, 36% and 53% improvement in CIPN symptoms, as compared to controls. MeasurementsTime pointsAcupunctureUsual CareP-valueNMeanSDMeanSDPNQ summary sensory score (0-4)Baseline202.50.82.50.90.97Changes at 8 week15-1.00.9-0.30.60.02FACT-NTX summary score (0-44)Baseline2025.08.422.19.40.40Changes at 8 week159.09.21.25.40.002EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 sensory score (0-100)Baseline2044.919.945.022.30.93Changes at 8 week15-23.818.1-5.16.40.006 CONCLUSIONS: Women with CIPN after adjuvant taxane therapy for early breast cancer experienced a significant and clinically meaningful improvement in neuropathy symptoms as a result of an 8-week acupuncture protocol. Given the prevalence of taxane-induced neuropathy in women treated for early breast cancer, acupuncture could significantly improve QOL and functional status of thousands of women treated for breast cancer every year. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings and evaluate the impact of acupuncture on functional measures in women with CIPN. Citation Format: Lu W, Giobbie-Hurder A, Freedman R, Yung R, Lin N, Partridge A, Shockro L, Stecker K, O'Connor KA, Rosenthal DS, Ligibel JA. Acupuncture for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in breast cancer, preliminary results of a pilot randomized controlled trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD4-01.

Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) which is one of the common chemotherapy related toxicity poses a significant clinical challenge. Here we conducted a prospective pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture on CIPN. Patients with CIPN were administered acupuncture procedure with continuation of previous conventional medication. Acupuncture procedures were conducted three times per week for 3 weeks. We assessed patients with Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v4.0, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group Neurotoxicity (FACT/GOG-Ntx) at the time of baseline and every week after the acupuncture procedures. Total 5 patients were included and treated with acupuncture. CTCAE grades were the same of 2 in all patients. VAS mean value changed from 5.2 to 3.2, and FACT/GOG-Ntx total score that suggests the higher relates to better quality of life changed from 93.3 to 110 as mean value at the end of the 3rd week, though this index difference did not show any statistically significant difference. This pilot study suggests that acupuncture procedure may have a role for CIPN treatment. Launching a more larger and properly controlled study will be required to ascertain the efficacy of acupuncture.

A Systematic Review of Experimental and Clinical Acupuncture in Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common side effect that can be very disabling and can limit or delay the dose of chemotherapy that can be administered. Acupuncture may be effective for treating peripheral neuropathy. The aim of this study was to review the available literature on the use of acupuncture for CIPN. The systematic literature search was performed using MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Cochrane Database, CINHAL, and ISI Proceedings. Hand searching was conducted, and consensus was reached on all extracted data. Only papers in the English language were included, irrespective of study design. From 3989 retrieved papers, 8 relevant papers were identified. One was an experimental study which showed that electroacupuncture suppressed CIPN pain in rats. In addition, there were 7 very heterogeneous clinical studies, 1 controlled randomised study using auricular acupuncture, 2 randomized controlled studies using somatic acupuncture, and 3 case series/case reports which suggested a positive effect of acupuncture in CIPN. Conclusions. Only one controlled randomised study demonstrated that acupuncture may be beneficial for CIPN. All the clinical studies reviewed had important methodological limitations. Further studies with robust methodology are needed to demonstrate the role of acupuncture for treating CIPN resulting from cancer treatment.

Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (Cipn): A Pilot Study Using Neurography

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) can produce severe neurological deficits and neuropathic pain and is a potential reason for terminating or suspending chemotherapy treatments. Specific and effective curative treatments are lacking. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on CIPN as measured by changes in nerve conduction studies (NCS) in six patients treated with acupuncture for 10 weeks in addition to best medical care and five control patients who received the best medical care but no specific treatment for CIPN. In five of the six patients treated with acupuncture, NCS improved after treatment. In the control group, three of five patients did not show any difference in NCS, one patient improved and one showed impaired NCS. The data suggest that acupuncture has a positive effect on CIPN. The encouraging results of this pilot study justify a randomised controlled trial of acupuncture in CIPN on the basis of NCS.