Editor's Note: Recently, the team led by Dr. Jiuda Zhao at the Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital published their latest research findings in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO), with an impact factor of 42.10. This study is the first to combine the current standard triple antiemetic therapy with electroacupuncture (EA) to address chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in breast cancer patients. The results demonstrate that adding EA to the standard triple antiemetic regimen significantly enhances CINV treatment outcomes. This study stands as the highest-impact acupuncture-related research publication in the field of oncology in China, showcasing the scientific prowess and innovative capabilities of Chinese scholars on the international stage. Oncology Frontier invited Dr. Jiuda Zhao to discuss this groundbreaking study.Research Title:
Effect of Adding Electroacupuncture to Standard Triple Antiemetic Therapy on Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Dr. Jiuda Zhao：This is the first study to integrate the traditional Chinese acupuncture technique with the standard triple antiemetic therapy. The results indicate that adding EA to the standard regimen can significantly reduce the incidence of CINV in breast cancer patients, with minimal adverse effects related to EA and high patient adherence. This combination therapy holds great clinical and promotional value.
Further exploratory post-hoc analysis revealed that the primary effect of EA was to enhance the complete protection rate during the delayed phase of CINV. Additionally, the main advantage of EA was its ability to reduce the occurrence of delayed-phase nausea, which is more common and severe than acute-phase nausea and more challenging to treat. EA may offer a superior approach for managing delayed-phase nausea.
The study employed a blind design, ensuring that researchers, participants, final evaluators, study personnel, and statisticians were all blinded, guaranteeing high-quality research and reliable results. While the study utilized a triple antiemetic regimen, the current standard of care for highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) includes a quadruple antiemetic regimen (including olanzapine). Therefore, the team is conducting a new study to explore the effectiveness of combining EA with the standard quadruple antiemetic regimen for CINV treatment.
In conclusion, combining EA with the standard triple antiemetic therapy significantly improved CINV outcomes in breast cancer patients undergoing HEC, with good tolerability. This new CINV prevention and treatment strategy is expected to enhance patient adherence and overall quality of care.
Dr. Jiuda Zhao
- Chief Physician at the Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital
- Doctoral Supervisor, Experienced in Clinical Breast Cancer Work
- Focused on Research in Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Techniques
- Published 19 core journal articles in Chinese as the first or corresponding author, and over 60 SCI papers
- Principal Investigator for three National Natural Science Foundation projects
- Selected in 2016 for Qinghai Province’s “High-end Innovative Talent” Thousand Talents Plan and “135” High-level Talent Program
- Awarded Outstanding Professional Talent of Qinghai Province in 2017
- Recognized as the 13th Batch Leader in Natural Science and Engineering Technology by the Provincial Party Committee Organization Department, Science and Technology Department, and Human Resources and Social Security Department in 2018
- Qinghai Province Talent Work Leading Group Office awarded the “High-end Innovative Talent Thousand Talents Plan” in 2019 for the Mechanism of Highly Prevalent Tumors in Qinghai and the Research and Innovation Team on the Anti-tumor Mechanism of Tibetan Medicine.
- In 2020, recognized as a “High-end Innovative Talent Thousand Talents Plan” Leading Talent by the Qinghai Province Talent Work Leading Group Office.
