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Efficacy of Acupuncture on Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Efficacy of Acupuncture on Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN): A Phase III, Randomized, Sham-controlled Clinical Trial

Status
UNKNOWN
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04739631
Enrollment
94
Registered
2021-02-04
Start date
2021-01-22
Completion date
2022-06-30
Last updated
2021-04-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN)

Keywords

acupuncture, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, neuropathic pain, von-Frey monofilament test, taxane, platinum

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to assess the neurological efficacy of acupuncture in patients with cancer who experienced peripheral neuropathy, which is induced by chemotherapy.

Detailed description

Background: Chemotherapy may lead to peripheral neuropathy up to 40% in cancer survivors, especially in some types of patients with cancer. The effect of acupuncture, an ancient Chinese medicine technique, was recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the treatment of several diseases. The postulated mechanisms associated with acupuncture in analgesia or neurogenesis are still under investigation. Considering a moderate recommendation for duloxetine in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) based on based on neuropathic pain, and a few treatment options with evidence for CIPN, acupuncture might be another option. Nowadays, only small scale pilot studies provided initial proof of acupuncture in CIPN, particularly in decreasing neuropathic pain and improving neurotoxicity, the study aims to determine the beneficial effects of acupuncture on CIPN with a large-scale, multicenter, randomized sham-controlled clinical trial. Furthermore, the aim of the study will provide evidence for the clinical therapeutic guideline of CIPN in the future.

Interventions

OTHERacupuncture

use disposable sterile needles to insert to the acupuncture point

The sham-controlled group will be performed with minimal acupuncture(superficial needling) at non- acupoints.

Sponsors

China Medical University Hospital
CollaboratorOTHER
Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan
Lead SponsorOTHER_GOV

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

The study will enroll patients with a symptom of peripheral neuropathy, including paresthesia, numbness, glove-and-stocking sensory loss distribution or pain in four limbs, and meet the following inclusion criteria: 1. All adult cancer patients (Age≧20-year-old) who received chemotherapy regimens, including adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy 2. Stage I-III cancer patients 3. Completed chemotherapy regimens more than3 months, including Taxanes (paclitaxel or docetaxel), platinum (cisplatin, oxaliplatin, carboplatin) 4. Baseline von Frey Monofilament test (Target force at hand) ≧ 0.07gms 5. Baseline von Frey Monofilament test (Target force at foot) ≧ 0.4gms 6. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status ≦3 7. Grading of peripheral sensory neuropathy in National Cancer Institute- common terminology criteria for adverse events,v5.0 (NCI-CTCAE5) ≧1 8. Patients were restricted acupuncture treatment for one month before recruitment 9. Written patient informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Participants with any of the following conditions will be excluded: 1. Uncontrolled Diabetic Mellitus, HbA1c≧7% is inappropriate\[19\]. 2. Diabetic neuropathy diagnosed before receiving chemotherapy 3. Neuropathy from any type of nerve compression (e.g., carpal/tarsal tunnel syndrome, radiculopathy, spinal stenosis, brachial plexopathy) 4. Concomitant with duloxetine, or another analgesia, including Pregabalin, Venlafaxine, Minocycline, Topical gel, Oxycodone, Naloxone, Cannabinoids, and Angiotensin II type 2 receptor antagonist 5. Severe hemorrhagic coagulopathy or bleeding tendency 6. Unstable cardiovascular disease 7. Severe skin lesions around the treatment sites The researchers will exclude any participants considered to be inappropriate for the study.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
FACT-Neurotoxicity subscale(NtxS)It will be assessed before the first intervention in the first week, after the 12th intervention in the 4th week , after the 20th intervention in the 8th week, and the follow-up assessment in the end of the 12th week. Each intervention is one day.The primary outcome will be the change FACT-Neurotoxicity subscale(NtxS) from baseline to 20 sessions at 8th weeks. The neurotoxicity subscale from the FACT/GOG-NTX-13(version 4) contains 13 items assessing numbness, tingling, and discomfort in the hands or feet, difficulty hearing, tinnitus, joint pain or muscle cramps, weakness, or trouble walking, buttoning buttons, or feeling small shapes when placed in the hand. Items are scored from 0-4 (0 = not at all; 4 = very much) and summed (total score range = 0-52). Since no published data are defining a cut-point for determining a clinically important change in the FACT/GOG Ntx score, we defined a 4 point change as a clinically meaningful improvement in patient-reported CIPN-related neurotoxicity outcome . The authorized translated traditional Chinese version will be purchased in this study.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The change of BPI-SFIt will be assessed before the first intervention in the first week, after the 12th intervention in the 4th week , after the 20th intervention in the 8th week, and the follow-up assessment in the end of the 12th week. Each intervention is one day.Our secondary outcome will be the change of average pain severity in BPI-SF from baseline to 20 sessions at 8th weeks. BPI-SF is an instrument used to evaluate the severity of pain, including neuropathic pain and the interference on the patients' daily functioning. Items are scored from 0 to 10 (0= no pain; 10= pain as bad as you can imagine). Since not all the patients feel pain in their daily life, we selected the participants who have average pain severity more than 4 points at baseline assessment into the final analysis. The authorized translated traditional Chinese version will be purchased in this study.
The quantitative sensation of touch detectionIt will be assessed before the first intervention in the first week, after the 20th intervention in the 8th week, and the follow-up assessment in the end of the 12th week. Each intervention is one day.The quantitative sensation of touch detection was used to test sensory levels and obtain objective data on the status of diminishing or returning sensibility. Touch detection was measured using von Frey monofilaments (Semmes-Weinstein Von Frey Aesthesiometer, Stoelting Co. 620 Wheat Lane, Wood Dale, IL, USA), with weights from 0.008 g to 300 g at 8 points. The measuring sites including the bases of the sole, tips of the big toe, palmar sides of hands, and the fingertips of the middle finger. The well-known up-down method applied to measure touch-detection thresholds. It will be assessed before the first intervention in the first week, after the 20th intervention in the 8th week, and the follow-up assessment in the end of the 12th week. Each intervention is one day. Each von-Frey test or questionnaire will be performed within seven days from each time point.

Countries

Taiwan

Contacts

Primary ContactFang-Pey Chen, Ph.D
fpchen@vghtpe.gov.tw886-2-28757453

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026