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This systematic review and meta-analysis examined preclinical animal studies to assess whether electroacupuncture can relieve pain associated with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy — a common and debilitating side effect of cancer treatment. Thirteen eligible studies involving a total of 235 animals were included, with methodological quality scores ranging from moderate to good.
The pooled analysis found that electroacupuncture significantly improved several key pain-related measures, including paw withdrawal threshold, thermal pain withdrawal latency, and nerve conduction velocity, while also reducing cold allodynia. At the molecular level, electroacupuncture reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory and neuronal sensitisation markers — including tumour necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1 beta, and several receptor proteins involved in pain signalling — and increased the activity of an oxidative stress regulator known as nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2.
The researchers identified notable heterogeneity across studies, attributing this to differences in animal models, acupoint selection, treatment duration, and intervention protocols. Importantly, significant publication bias was detected and may have inflated some of the positive findings. Results for certain molecular markers, particularly one pain-sensitive receptor, were flagged as potentially influenced by individual studies and should be interpreted with caution.
Despite these limitations, the overall body of preclinical evidence suggests that electroacupuncture exerts meaningful analgesic and neuroprotective effects, primarily by modulating neuroinflammation and reducing neuronal sensitisation.
Conclusion: Preclinical evidence supports electroacupuncture as a promising adjunct therapy for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy pain, though high-quality clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings in humans.
Source: Kong Y, You L, Hu M and colleagues. Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas (2026). View on PubMed (PMID 42987025) · doi:10.1590/1414-431X2026e15562
