The Effect of Acupuncture on Nerve Pain Caused by Taxane (Chemotherapy) Treatment

Description

Some people experience a side effect while they are receiving taxane called taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (TIPN). TIPN is pain in the arms and legs due to nerve damage caused by cancer treatment and may interfere with quality of life. The purpose of this study is to learn if acupuncture can prevent TIPN from getting worse. Acupuncture is a medical technique that involves insertion of very thin needles into specific areas on the body. We will compare real acupuncture (RA) to placebo (sham) acupuncture (SA). SA is done like RA, but will use different needles and target different sites or places on the body than RA. We are comparing RA to SA to learn whether RA can prevent TIPN from getting worse while receiving taxane.

Conditions

Breast Cancer, Taxane-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

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Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

Some people experience a side effect while they are receiving taxane called taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (TIPN). TIPN is pain in the arms and legs due to nerve damage caused by cancer treatment and may interfere with quality of life. The purpose of this study is to learn if acupuncture can prevent TIPN from getting worse. Acupuncture is a medical technique that involves insertion of very thin needles into specific areas on the body. We will compare real acupuncture (RA) to placebo (sham) acupuncture (SA). SA is done like RA, but will use different needles and target different sites or places on the body than RA. We are comparing RA to SA to learn whether RA can prevent TIPN from getting worse while receiving taxane.

Acupuncture for Taxane-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Prevention (ATP): A Phase II Randomized, Placebo Controlled Trial

The Effect of Acupuncture on Nerve Pain Caused by Taxane (Chemotherapy) Treatment

Condition
Breast Cancer
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Basking Ridge

Memorial Sloan Kettering Basking Ridge, Basking Ridge, New Jersey, United States, 07920

Middletown

Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth, Middletown, New Jersey, United States, 07748

Montvale

Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen, Montvale, New Jersey, United States, 07645

Commack

Memorial Sloan Kettering Suffolk- Commack, Commack, New York, United States, 11725

Harrison

Memorial Sloan Kettering Westchester, Harrison, New York, United States, 10604

New York

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, United States, 10065

Rockville Centre

Memorial Sloan Kettering Nassau, Rockville Centre, New York, United States, 11553

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * English or Spanish-proficient men and women aged ≥18 years
  • * Histological diagnoses of invasive carcinoma of the breast
  • * Plan to receive curative intent chemotherapy regimen containing 12 weeks weekly paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel as standard of care
  • * TIPN grade ≥1 based on the NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0, developed while receiving taxane
  • * ≥ 4 4 weeks of either weekly paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel, or paclitaxel or abraxane with dosing every 2-3 weeks planned, as standard of care and at treating physician's discretion
  • * Willing to adhere to requirement that no new pain medication or dose changes be taken throughout the first 12 weeks of the study period
  • * Willing to adhere to all study-related procedures, including randomization to one of the two possible acupuncture treatments
  • * Pre-existing peripheral neuropathy within 28 days of screening consent
  • * Currently taking anti-neuropathy medication such as gabapentin, pregabalin, duloxetine or glutamine
  • * Currently taking anti-neuropathy medication such as gabapentin, pregabalin, duloxetine or glutamine
  • * Use of acupuncture for symptom management within 28 days of intervention consent

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to

Sexes Eligible for Study

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center,

Wanqing Iris Zhi, MD, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Study Record Dates

2025-07