Acupuncture with a jolt: could needles shield nerves from chemo?

NCT ID NCT07644533

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether electroacupuncture (acupuncture with mild electrical pulses) combined with tiny thumbtack needles can prevent peripheral neuropathy—numbness, tingling, or pain—caused by chemotherapy in people with advanced cancer. The trial enrolls adults with stage IV breast, gastric, intestinal, non-small cell lung, or ovarian cancer who are about to start certain chemotherapy drugs. Researchers will compare nerve function and symptom rates between those receiving the acupuncture treatment and those receiving standard care.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
electroacupuncture and thumbtack needles
What this could lead to
If effective, this approach could offer a drug-free way to prevent nerve damage from chemotherapy, improving quality of life for cancer patients.
What could go wrong
This is a single trial with a specific patient group, and results may not apply to all cancer types or chemotherapy regimens. The effect may be modest or not statistically significant.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital

    Xining, Qinghai, 810000, China

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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.