Effects of Electroacupuncture and Mecobalamin for Utidelon-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Breast Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Objective: The chemotherapy agent Utidelone (UTD1), as a novel option for drug-resistant breast cancer patients, is prone to cause severe neurotoxicity. This study aims to evaluate the clinical effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and Mecobalamin (MeCbl) in treating Utidelone-induced peripheral neuropathy (UIPN), providing preliminary evidence to optimize clinical management strategies. Methods: A total of 60 eligible breast cancer patients with UIPN were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the EA group or the MeCbl group. Evaluations were conducted after 4 weeks of treatment and again following a 4-week follow-up period (week 8). The primary outcome was the overall response rate of the Patient Neurotoxicity Questionnaire (PNQ), which was defined as a reduction of at least one grade in PNQ sensory or motor symptoms at week 4 compared to baseline. Secondary outcomes included the PNQ sensory, PNQ motor, and NCI-CTCAE grades, the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 and QLQ-C30 scales. Results: 28 of 30 participants in the EA group and 29 of 30 participants in the MeCbl group completed the study. The responder rate of PNQ overall in the EA group was significantly higher than that in the MeCbl group at week 4 ( Conclusion: This randomized clinical trial indicated that EA therapy showed a potential benefit to alleviate symptoms of UIPN in breast cancer patients. Nevertheless, further research involving larger sample sizes and extended follow-up periods is warranted to elucidate these effects. Trial registration: No. ChiCTR2200062741.