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

Abstract

Background. 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. Patients and Methods. 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)