Electro-acupuncture for the Prevention and Treatment of Oxaliplatin-induced Neurotoxicity in Colorectal Cancer Patients
Colorectal Cancer, Oxaliplatin, Electro-acupuncture
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Colorectal Cancer
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: are aged ≥18 years old; are newly diagnosed with stage II to IV colorectal cancer; going to receive adjuvant oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy within 4 weeks; had not received any acupuncture in the previous 3 months and had a life expectancy ≥ of six months. Exclusion Criteria: are not able to comprehend and communicate; are not able to read Chinese; have prior peripheral neuropathy caused by other diseases including diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular diseases such as arrhythmia, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and patients with cardiac pacemakers; have a bleeding tendency; are pregnant or breastfeeding; have impaired hepatic or renal function; using any pharmaceutical agents e.g., vitamin B6 and vitamin E, or herbal medication. All the above medication prescribed by physicians or Chinese medicine practitioners during the study will be recorded.
Sites / Locations
- Linda Zhong
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Sham Comparator
Electro-acupuncture group
sham-acupuncture group
The electro-acupuncture intervention will be conducted for 2 sessions per week for 4 consecutive weeks before and 8 weeks during the chemotherapy. In this study eight acupoints are chosen: he gu (LI4), nei guan (PC6), qu chi (LI12), ba xie (EX-UE9), zu san li (ST36), san yin jiao (SP6), tai chung (LV3) and ba feng (EX-LE10). The use of ba xie (EX-UE9) and ba feng (EX-LE10) will be optional if skin lesions of hands and feet occur due to Capecitabine (Xeloda). Disposable acupuncture needles (verum acupuncture needles Hwato 0.25 x 25mm matching the Streiterger sham needles) will be inserted at a depth of 10-25mm into the points. Electrical stimulation will be delivered with continuous waves at 2 Hz, at an intensity of each patient's minimum sensation of stimulation through the electrical acupuncture stimulation instrument. The needles will be retained in position for 25 minutes.
For subjects assigned to the sham control group, Streitberger's non-invasive acupuncture needles (Gauge 8 x 1.2"/ 0.30 x 30mm) will be applied to serve as a sham control at the same acupoints with the same stimulation modality, and the stimulation will be a "pseudo stimulation", which will be given by connecting the needle to the incorrect output socket of the electrical acupuncture stimulation instrument.The credibility and validity of this system have been well demonstrated.