Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42063721›Full record

Trial reportFrontiers in oncology2026

Efficacy and safety of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation and acupressure in alleviating chemotherapy-related adverse reactions in female patients with breast cancer: a randomized clinical trial.

Jiang Yuan, Jie Chu, Xiuying Hu, Xinyu Zhao, Hao Li, Binwen Zhang, Li Baihong, Jinshu Han, Zhizhen Tao, Tumalisi Kayishaer and 3 more

Abstract readClinical Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Frontiers in oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Jiang YuanSchool of Public Health, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cheng Du, China.
Jie ChuSchool of Medical, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Cheng Du, China.
Xiuying HuInnovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Xinyu ZhaoSchool of Management, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cheng Du, China.
Hao LiDivision of internal Medicine, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Cheng Du, China.
Binwen ZhangSchool of Public Health, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cheng Du, China.
Li BaihongDept of Disciplinary Development, Sichuan University, West China School of Medicine, West China Hosp, Cheng Du, China.
Jinshu HanSchool of Clinical Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cheng Du, China.
Zhizhen TaoSchool of Public Health, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cheng Du, China.
Tumalisi KayishaerSchool of Public Health, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cheng Du, China.
Chao TianDepartment of Breast Surgery, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital and Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
Bingmei ZhuDivision of internal Medicine, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Cheng Du, China.
Yi YangSchool of Management, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Cheng Du, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Common adverse reactions to breast cancer chemotherapy (nausea, vomiting, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression) are often suboptimally managed. These symptoms undermine patients's quality of life and reduce chemotherapy adherence. Two non-invasive Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) interventions-transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) and acupressure have demonstrated efficacy in alleviating such discomforts, data on their effectiveness and dynamic therapeutic characteristics throughout the full chemotherapy course remain insufficient. Method: 198 breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy were subjected to simple randomization using R4.4.2, and randomly assigned to the control group, TEAS group, and acupressure group for a longitudinal follow-up over four chemotherapy cycles. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to analyze intervention effects and Results: Main time effect: With the progression of chemotherapy cycles, the risk of delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (delayed CINV) significantly increased; patients' anxiety levels were higher in the early stage of chemotherapy cycles and showed a downward trend after the 3rd cycle. Main intervention effect: TEAS significantly improved patients' quality of life(QOL), while acupressure primarily alleviated psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Interaction effect: The therapeutic effect of TEAS was cumulative, exerting more pronounced benefits in reducing the risk of delayed CINV, improving sleep quality, and relieving delayed nausea during the mid-to-late stages of chemotherapy (cycles 3-4); acupressure achieved optimal anxiety relief in the early stage (cycle 1) and progressively alleviated delayed nausea and enhanced QOL throughout the treatment course. Conclusion: TEAS and acupressure exhibit dynamic and distinct effects in mitigating adverse reactions in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. TEAS is more suitable for the comprehensive improvement of physical symptoms and QOL during the mid-to-late stages of chemotherapy, while acupressure is preferred for early anxiety relief and gradual improvement of psychosomatic symptoms throughout the treatment. These findings provide a reference for the development of individualized non-invasive clinical intervention strategies. Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/, identifier ChiCTR2300077667.

Indexed as

acupressureanxiety and depressionbreast cancernausea and vomitingquality of lifesleep disorderstranscutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation

Identifiers

PMID42063721
PMCPMC13124625

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.