Acupuncture for Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy Treatment (ACT)

R37 extension summary
The supplementary study to the R37 ACT trial aims to explore the neurobiological
mechanisms behind acupuncture's effectiveness in alleviating chemotherapy-induced
peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) pain, focusing on modulating both peripheral and central
pain mechanisms. The study has three specific aims: 1. Evaluate the effect of real vs.
sham acupuncture on pain severity among cancer survivors with moderate-to-severe
CIPN pain from baseline to 12 weeks. 2. a) Investigate the potential effect of
acupuncture on intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) with skin biopsy; and b) its
association with peripheral proinflammatory and neuroactive metabolites using
lipidomics and metabolomics approaches. 3. Examine the effect of real versus sham
acupuncture on central pain processing at 8 weeks, focusing on the insula and cingulate
cortices with fMRI. It has the potential to generate significant preliminary data to help
design definitive clinical trials in the near future to elucidate the mechanism of
integrative medicine approaches in reducing cancer-related pain.

Grant Number: 4R37CA248563-06
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Ting Bao