Effectiveness of auricular acupoint therapy on chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal reaction in breast cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To evaluate the efficacy of auricular  acupoint therapy (AAT) in the treatment of gastrointestinal reactions in patients with breast cancer after chemotherapy.

We searched all Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on AAT for chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal reaction in breast cancer patients in Pubmed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library in English, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang Data, SinoMed and Chongqing VIP in Chinese, from inception to December 31, 2023. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software.

Twenty RCTs involving 1704 patients were included. All RCTs were reviewed by descriptive analysis, then 19 RCTs were included in the meta-analyses. The results showed: ① AAT can improve the symptoms of nausea (OR = 3.92, 95% CI (1.29, 11.93), Z = 2.40, P = 0.02) and vomiting (OR = 2.88, 95% CI (1.41, 5.88), Z = 2.91, P = 0.004), not only in acute period [OR = 2.83, 95% CI (1.73, 4.63), Z = 4.15, P < 0.001], but also in delayed period [OR = 5.38, 95% CI (3.86, 7.50), Z = 9.93, P < 0.001]; AAT can reduce the intensity [WMD = -3.38, 95%CI (-5.05, -1.71), P < 0.001] and the frequency [WMD = -3.29, 95%CI (-4.82, -1.76), P < 0.001] of nausea both in acute and delayed period; ② AAT can reduce the incidence of belching, sour regurgitation, and loss of appetite [OR = 0.33, 95%CI (0.26, 0.41), P < 0.001]; ③ AAT can reduce the incidence of constipation [OR = 0.17, 95% CI (0.08, 0.39), Z = 4.30, P < 0.001], the Constipation assessment scale score [WMD = -5.01, 95%CI (-6.33, -3.70), P < 0.001], the Bristol stool form scale score [WMD = 1.01, 95%CI (0.68, 1.35), P < 0.001]. ④ AAT can reduce the Patient assessment of constipation quality of life questionnaire score [WMD = -1.18, 95%CI (-1.42, -0.93), P < 0.001].

AAT can alleviate the chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal reaction in breast cancer patients, including nausea, vomiting, belching, sour regurgitation, loss of appetite and constipation, improve quality of life.