Electroacupuncture Combined With Self-administered Acupressure for the Prevention of Capecitabine-Associated Hand-Foot Syndrome

"True electroacupuncture: Participants will receive two electroacupuncture treatments within the first week of each treatment cycle. The acupuncturist inserts the needle into the point and manipulates the needle until the feeling of deqi is achieved and reported by the participant. The electrical stimulation will be administered at a sustained frequency of 2Hz for 30 minutes. True self-administered acupressure: In weeks 2 and 3 of each treatment cycle, participants performed true self-administered acupressure, pressing each acupoint with their thumb to achieve deqi for three minutes."

Doctor-prescribed treatment: At the beginning of capecitabine, patients will be treated with doctor-recommended medications, including oral celecoxib, topical diclofenac, and other skin protectants.

"Sham electroacupuncture: The sham electroacupuncture comprised a core standardized prescription of minimally invasive, shallow needle insertion using thin and short needles at body locations not recognized as true acupuncture points and are deemed to not belong to traditional Chinese meridians and have no therapeutic value. Participants will receive acupuncture treatment without electrical stimulation same the intervention group. And avoid deqi sensation. Sham self-administered acupressure: Administered non-acupressure points 1 to 3cm away from the true acupressure points used in the experimental group and away from known meridians. The frequency, course duration, and overall treatment time will be the same as those in the true self-administered shiatsu group. The applied pressure does not cause a feeling of deqi."