The Use of Acupuncture to Reduce Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Gynaecological Cancer Patients

Patients will receive 6 weeks of electroacupuncture, 2 sessions per week, 30 min per session Stainless steel, single-use, sterile, and disposable needles will be used. We will use the bilateral acupoints LI4 (He-Gu), TE5 (Wai-Guan), LI11 (Qu-Chi), and LU5 (Chi-Ze) for upper limbs. For lower limb numbness, we will use the bilateral acupoints of LV3 (Tai-Chong), ST41 (Jie-Xi), SP6 (San-Yin-Jiao), and GB34 (Yang-Ling-Quan) for the numbness of back of feet, or the bilateral acupoints of KI1 (Yong-Quan), KI3 (Tai-Xi), SP6 (San-Yin-Jiao), and GB34 (Yang-Ling-Quan). After skin disinfection, sterile adhesive pads will be placed on bilateral LI4 (Hegu), TE5 (Waiguan), LI11 (Quchi), and LU5 (Chize). Following each needle insertion, acupuncturists will perform equal manipulations of twirling, lifting, and thrusting on the needle by acupuncturists to achieve the de qi sensation. These 4 acupoints (He-Gu, Qu-Chi, San-Yin-Jiao, Yang-Ling-Quan) will be electrically stimulated for 30 min.

Patients will receive 6 weeks of sham acupuncture, 2 sessions per week, 30 min per session. The Streitberger sham acupuncture needle designed specifically for sham acupuncture trials will be used. Patients will feel the needle on the skin, but the needle actually will not puncture the skin. These 4 acupoints (He-Gu, Qu-Chi, San-Yin-Jiao, Yang-Ling-Quan) will be connected to the electrical stimulation device KWD-808I MULTI-PURPOSE Health device (Great Wall Company), but not stimulated. The needle will remain for 30 minutes. without stimulating the acupoints. The sham acupuncture will be used within the trocar. The trocar will be fixed by a base on the skin with sticker. The trocar-base-sticker will be used for both acupuncture group and sham acupuncture control group, so they are exactly the same in appearance. Patients cannot see if there is acupuncture or sham acupuncture within the trocar.