Evaluating the Effects of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Taxane Induces Peripheral Neuropathy

Taxane Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (TIPN) is a major dose limiting side effect of taxane chemotherapies and it often reduces the success of the patient treatment. Treating TIPN is difficult and at this time conventional treatment is primarily limited to the global use of antidepressants and anticonvulsants. Acupuncture treatment has been used for symptom improvement in patients with peripheral neuropathy caused by HIV and diabetes mellitus; however, few studies have evaluated acupuncture as a viable treatment for taxane induced peripheral neuropathy. This study will enroll female breast cancer survivors at the Greenville Health System Cancer Institute Center for Integrative Oncology and Survivorship to assess whether acupuncture holds any therapeutic benefit for TIPN and how it influences the mechanisms underlying resolution of TIPN. This would provide critical validation of acupuncture and increase potential for other forms of chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy.