Ultrasound Acupuncture for Oxaliplatin‐induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients With Colorectal Cancer: A Pilot Study

Background Oxaliplatin is frequently used in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. However, peripheral neuropathy is a severe adverse effect of oxaliplatin that may persist and impact quality of life. Objective To assess the potential effects of ultrasound acupuncture for the alleviation of symptoms related to oxaliplatin‐induced peripheral neuropathy (OIPN) among patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Design Prospective cohort pilot study. Setting Education and research hospital. Participants Patients with a diagnosis of stage II‐IV colorectal cancer undergoing oxaliplatin‐based treatment regimens who experienced OIPN symptoms (n = 17). Interventions Pulsed therapeutic ultrasound (1 MHz) at bilateral acupuncture points of PC6, PC7, BL60, and KI1 was administered for 5 minutes per point daily for 12 days. Main Outcome Measurements Pain Quality Assessment Scale (PQAS), Chemotherapy‐induced Neurotoxicity Questionnaire (CINQ), quantitative touch‐detection threshold, cold‐trigger pain withdrawal latency, and quality of life (EORTC QLQ‐C30) were measured at baseline (day 0), pre‐intervention (day 12, post wash‐out period), post‐intervention (day 24), and final follow‐up (day 54). A P value of less than .05 was considered statistically significant. Results Scores of PQAS and CINQ significantly improved after ultrasound acupuncture at post‐intervention and follow‐up compared to both baseline and pre‐intervention. Similar trends were also observed for the quantitative sensory testing, where touch‐detection threshold significantly decreased and cold‐trigger pain withdrawal latency significantly increased after ultrasound acupuncture. Patients also showed an improvement on quality of life outcomes as measured by QLQ‐C30 post‐intervention and at follow‐up. Conclusions Ultrasound acupuncture could be an effective intervention for OIPN symptoms for patients with colorectal cancer. However, larger and randomized clinical trials with placebo controls are needed to confirm such effects.