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NCT Number: NCT07098949

Acupuncture Combined With Chemotherapy for Gastric Cancer After Surgery

This multicenter, randomized, parallel-group clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture combined with adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer who have undergone surgery. Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either acupuncture or sham acupuncture during the adjuvant chemotherapy period.

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Key information

Age range

18 year–75 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients with gastric cancer who have undergone R0 resection of the stomach/ distal stomach with D2 lymphadenectomy and are planned to receive postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy
  • Postoperative pathological diagnosis of gastric cancer, with pathological staging of pII/pIII (American Joint Committee on Cancer, AJCC)
  • No recurrence or metastasis confirmed by imaging examination
  • Performance Status (PS) score of 0-2
  • Age between 18 and 75 years
  • Normal bone marrow, liver, and kidney function:
  • Normal bone marrow function: Neutrophil count ≥1.5×10^9/L, platelet count ≥100×10^9/L, hemoglobin ≥90g/L
  • Normal kidney function: Serum creatinine ≤1.5mg/dl (133μmol/L) and/or creatinine clearance ≥60ml/min
  • Normal liver function: Total serum bilirubin level ≤1.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN), serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) & alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤2.5 times ULN
  • Signed informed consent, and the patient voluntarily accepts treatment according to this protocol

Exclusion criteria

  • Unable to complete baseline assessment
  • Individuals with a fear of acupuncture
  • Those planning to receive postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy
  • History of blood system diseases, organ transplant history, or those requiring long-term oral immunosuppressants
  • Individuals with implanted cardiac pacemakers
  • Those who have received acupuncture treatment within the past 6 weeks
  • Fever within 3 days prior to enrollment with a temperature above 38°C or clinically significant infections(Subject to enrollment once infection is managed)
  • Currently receiving or having used the investigational drug or device within 4 weeks prior to the first intervention of the study
  • Presence of other primary tumors
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women, individuals with mental illness, intellectual or language disabilities, those lacking legal capacity, or those whose medical or ethical reasons affect the continuation of the study

Treatment and study plan

Acupuncture

Other

The patient takes a sitting or lateral position. The following acupoints are selected Baihui (GV20), Yintang (EX-HN3), Zhongwan (CV12), Bilateral Neiguan (PC6), Bilateral Zusanli (ST36), Bilateral Sanyinjiao (SP6), Bilateral Gongsun (SP4), Bilateral Pishu (BL20). Electroacupuncture is applied at bilateral Sanyinjiao (SP6) and bilateral Zusanli (ST36) by connecting them to an electroacupuncture device. The needles are retained for 30 minutes.

Sham Acupuncture

Other

sham acupuncture procedure that mirrors the acupuncture treatment in terms of acupoint selection and treatment schedule. However, instead of actual needle insertion, a blunt-tipped sham needle will be used to apply superficial pressure at the designated acupoints. The design of the sham needle includes a base that allows for simulated insertion, providing patients with a mild sensation of pressure and a visual cue as the needle appears to move toward the skin. This innovative approach ensures that while participants experience a similar tactile sensation, there is no penetration of the skin, distinguishing it clearly from the actual acupuncture treatment.

Chemotherapy

Drug

Adjuvant chemotherapy with either the XELOX (capecitabine + oxaliplatin) or SOX (S-1 + oxaliplatin) regimen

Primary outcomes

  1. Disease free survival

    Time frame: From the date of surgery until the date of first documented tumor recurrence, distant metastasis, or death from any cause, whichever occurs first, assessed up to 5 years.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Average trajectory of FACT-Gastric TOI over time

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline (Day1 at randomization), the first week of each Cycle 1-4 (each cycle is 21 days), the first day of Cycle 5 (each cycle is 21 days), and the time of recurrence or metastasis identified through CT/MRI imaging diagnosis

    FACT-Gastric Scoring is designed for measurement of quality of life(QoL) for gastric cancer patients. FACT-Gastric TOI is composed of PHYSICAL WELL BEING (PWB) SUBSCALE, FUNCTIONAL WELL BEING (FWB) SUBSCALE, and GASTRIC CANCER SUBSCAL (GaCS) of the FACT-Gastric Scoring. The range of FACT-Gastric TOI is 0-132. The higher the score, the better the quality of life.

  2. Total AUC of FACT-Gastric TOI

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline (Day1 at randomization), the first week of each Cycle 1-4 (each cycle is 21 days), the first day of Cycle 5 (each cycle is 21 days), and the time of recurrence or metastasis identified through CT/MRI imaging diagnosis

    FACT-Gastric Scoring is designed for measurement of quality of life(QoL) for gastric cancer patients. FACT-Gastric TOI is composed of PHYSICAL WELL BEING (PWB) SUBSCALE, FUNCTIONAL WELL BEING (FWB) SUBSCALE, and GASTRIC CANCER SUBSCAL (GaCS) of the FACT-Gastric Scoring. The range of FACT-Gastric TOI is 0-132. The higher the score, the better the quality of life. The area under curve (AUCs) are calculated by linear interpolation respectively, and then added together for the total AUC during the 4 cycles of chemotherapy.

  3. Average trajectory of GASTRIC CANCER SUBSCAL (GaCS) of FACT-Gastric

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline (Day1 at randomization), the first week of each Cycle 1-4 (each cycle is 21 days), the first day of Cycle 5 (each cycle is 21 days), and the time of recurrence or metastasis identified through CT/MRI imaging diagnosis

    The GaCS of FACT-Gastric focuses on the symptoms and functions related to gastric cancer specifically. The range of GaCS is 0-76. The higher the score, the better the quality of life.

  4. Total AUC of GASTRIC CANCER SUBSCAL (GaCS) of FACT-Gastric

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline (Day1 at randomization), the first week of each Cycle 1-4 (each cycle is 21 days), the first day of Cycle 5 (each cycle is 21 days), and the time of recurrence or metastasis identified through CT/MRI imaging diagnosis

    The GaCS of FACT-Gastric focuses on the symptoms and functions related to gastric cancer specifically. The range of GaCS is 0-76. The higher the score, the better the quality of life. The area under curve (AUCs) are calculated by linear interpolation respectively, and then added together for the total AUC during the 4 cycles of chemotherapy.

  5. Average trajectory of FACT-Gastric Scoring over time

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline (Day1 at randomization), the first week of each Cycle 1-4 (each cycle is 21 days), the first day of Cycle 5 (each cycle is 21 days), and the time of recurrence or metastasis identified through CT/MRI imaging diagnosis

    FACT-Gastric Scoring is designed for measurement of quality of life(QoL) for gastric cancer patients. It is composed of PHYSICAL WELL BEING (PWB) SUBSCALE, SOCIAL WELL BEING (SWB) SUBSCALE, EMOTIONAL WELL BEING (EWB) SUBSCALE, FUNCTIONAL WELL BEING (FWB) SUBSCALE, and GASTRIC CANCER SUBSCAL (GaCS). The range of FACT-Gastric scoring is 0-184. The higher the score, the better the quality of life.

  6. Total AUC of FACT-Gastric Scoring

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline (Day1 at randomization), the first week of each Cycle 1-4 (each cycle is 21 days), the first day of Cycle 5 (each cycle is 21 days), and the time of recurrence or metastasis identified through CT/MRI imaging diagnosis

    FACT-Gastric Scoring is designed for measurement of quality of life(QoL) for gastric cancer patients. It is composed of PHYSICAL WELL BEING (PWB) SUBSCALE, SOCIAL WELL BEING (SWB) SUBSCALE, EMOTIONAL WELL BEING (EWB) SUBSCALE, FUNCTIONAL WELL BEING (FWB) SUBSCALE, and GASTRIC CANCER SUBSCAL (GaCS). The range of FACT-Gastric scoring is 0-184. The higher the score, the better the quality of life. The area under curve (AUCs) for each cycle are calculated by linear interpolation respectively, and then added together for the total AUC during the 4 cycles of chemotherapy.

  7. Average trajectory of Modified Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline (Day1 at randomization), the first week of each Cycle 1-4 (each cycle is 21 days), the first day of Cycle 5 (each cycle is 21 days), and the time of recurrence or metastasis identified through CT/MRI imaging diagnosis

    Edmonton symptom assessment scale (ESAS) is a questionnaire used for symptom assessment in cancer patients. It was composed of 10 items with score range of 0-10 for each item, including pain, tiredness, nausea, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, appetite, wellbeing, shortness of breath, and other. ESAS was then modified in 2015, with additional symptoms of constipation and sleep. The higher the score, the worse the symptom is.

  8. Total AUC of Modified Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline (Day1 at randomization), the first week of each Cycle 1-4 (each cycle is 21 days), the first day of Cycle 5 (each cycle is 21 days), and the time of recurrence or metastasis identified through CT/MRI imaging diagnosis

    Edmonton symptom assessment scale (ESAS) is a questionnaire used for symptom assessment in cancer patients. It was composed of 10 items with score range of 0-10 for each item, including pain, tiredness, nausea, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, appetite, wellbeing, shortness of breath, and other. ESAS was then modified in 2015, with additional symptoms of constipation and sleep. The higher the score, the worse the symptom is.The AUCs are calculated by linear interpolation respectively, and then added together for the total AUC during the 4 cycles of chemotherapy.

  9. Overall survival

    Time frame: From the date of surgery until the date of death from any cause, assessed up to 5 years.

  10. Chemotherapy completion rate

    Time frame: The number of patients who have received 8 Cycle chemotherapy divided by the total number of patients in each group, assessed up to 8 months.

    Record the course and dosage of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients and calculate the chemotherapy completion rate.

  11. Traditional Chinese Medicine Symptom Assessment

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline (Day1 at randomization), the first week of each Cycle 1-4 (each cycle is 21 days), the first day of Cycle 5 (each cycle is 21 days), and the time of recurrence or metastasis identified through CT/MRI imaging diagnosis

    The MDASI-TCM scale was evaluated before chemotherapy

Other outcomes

  1. Traditional Chinese medicine syndrome data

    Time frame: Assessed on the last day of each chemotherapy cycle (each cycle is 21 days), up to treatment completion (maximum 8 cycles).

    The scale evaluates symptoms (e.g., fatigue, poor appetite) scored 0-10 per item. Scores are collected by TCM physicians and reported as mean change from baseline

  2. Adverse events

    Time frame: Assessed within 1 day prior to each cycle of chemotherapy ( 21 days per cycle), up to treatment completion (maximum 8 cycles).

    Incidence of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) graded by CTCAE v5.0

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Xiwu Rao, Dr

CONTACT

[email protected]

86-20-81887233

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Other

Collaborators

  • First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University
  • Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University

Registry information

Official study title

Multicenter Randomized Controlled Clinical Study on Acupuncture Combined With Adjuvant Chemotherapy for the Prevention of Recurrence and Metastasis After Gastric Cancer Surgery

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2029
First posted
Aug 1, 2025
Registry last updated
Aug 1, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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