Development of the therapy for the peripheral neuropathy by the chemotherapies

含有紫杉烷的抗癌药物往往会引起周围神经病变，从而导致患者生活质量（QOL）的恶化和/或停止治疗。常规药物治疗周围神经病变的疗效有限。我们的研究目的是通过临床和实验研究来评价针刺对紫杉烷诱导的周围神经病变的安全性和效果。在每周给予紫杉醇共12周的患者中，主观症状（用视觉模拟量表测量）和感觉阈值（用semms - weinstein单丝试验评估）根据给药剂量显示显着恶化。每周针灸共6次，显著改善了紫杉醇诱导的周围神经病变患者的主观症状，不良事件最少。研究发现，在轻度或中度神经病变患者中，针灸的效果更为显著。在动物模型的实验研究中，电针改善了紫杉醇引起的机械刺激阈值和外周血流量的下降。提示针刺治疗紫杉醇诱导的周围神经病变是一种安全有效的治疗方法。

Anti-cancer agents which contain taxane often induce peripheral neuropathy, which lead to deterioration of quality of life(QOL) of the patient and/or discontinuation of the treatment. Efficacy of conventional medication on the peripheral neuropathy is limited. Aim of our study was to evaluate the safety and the effect of acupuncture on taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy through both clinical and experimental studies.In the patients who were administered paclitaxel weekly for a total of 12 weeks, subjective symptoms(measured with a visual analogue scale) and sensory threshold(evaluated with Semmes-Weinstein Monofilament test) showed a marked dterioration depending on the administrated dose. Weekly acupuncture for a total of six sessions significantly ameliorated subjective symptoms of the patients who were suffered from paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy with minimal adverse events. The effect of acupuncture was found to be more significant among patients with mild or moderate neuropathy. In the experimental study using an animal model, electroacupuncture improved decrease in the threshold to the mechanical stimulation and peripheral blood flow induced by administration of paclitaxel.These results suggest that acupuncture could be a safe and effective treatment for paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy.