Auricular Point Stimulation Plus Dexamethasone Versus Standard Antiemetic Regimen for Nausea and Vomiting Caused by Docetaxel Plus Cyclophosphamide

Docetaxel combined with cyclophosphamide is one of the most commonly used chemotherapy regimens for postoperative adjuvant treatment of breast cancer. While it improves patients' survival rate, it is accompanied by certain gastrointestinal adverse reactions, among which chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is relatively common, with an incidence rate ranging from 16% to 54%. The vast majority of cases occur on the day of medication and within 4 days thereafter. This regimen is defined as a chemotherapy regimen with low to moderate emetogenic risk in current clinical guidelines. The recommended preventive antiemetic strategy usually consists of glucocorticoids (e.g., dexamethasone) combined with 5-HT3 receptor antagonists (e.g., ondansetron, palonosetron, etc.). It can be strengthened with NK1 receptor antagonists (e.g., fosaprepitant, aprepitant) and the antipsychotic olanzapine, depending on clinical circumstances. However, in clinical practice, many patients experience drug-related gastrointestinal adverse reactions such as anorexia, abdominal distension, constipation, and diarrhea due to receiving high-intensity antiemetic therapy. Studies have shown that the incidence of constipation in chemotherapy patients treated with palonosetron approximately doubles. The high-intensity use of antiemetic drugs seriously impairs patients' gastrointestinal function and quality of life, and even affects their treatment compliance. Therefore, how to effectively prevent CINV while minimizing the side effects caused by antiemetic therapy itself has become a practical issue that medical staff need to pay urgent attention to. Auricular point pressotherapy is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) external therapy. It involves accurately pasting Vaccaria seeds on corresponding auricular points with adhesive tapes and stimulating the points through moderate pressing to regulate physical functions and treat diseases. According to TCM theory, the ear is closely connected to the internal organs and meridians of the human body, and all twelve meridians are directly or indirectly linked to the ear. Auricular point pressotherapy can unblock meridians and balance yin and yang by stimulating corresponding auricular points, thereby alleviating CINV and other adverse reactions. It is an economical, non-invasive, and low-side-effect natural therapy. Meanwhile, auricular point pressotherapy can effectively improve gastrointestinal function, thus significantly reducing gastrointestinal dysfunction caused by chemotherapy and antiemetic drugs, such as anorexia, abdominal distension, constipation, and diarrhea. Our team summarized the relevant data of patients who voluntarily received auricular point pressotherapy for antiemesis previously. The results showed that among breast cancer patients who received docetaxel combined with cyclophosphamide for postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, 100% of those treated with auricular point pressotherapy plus dexamethasone did not experience grade 2 or above (including grade 2) nausea and had no vomiting on the day of medication and within 3 days thereafter. Based on the above theoretical and practical basis, this study intends to evaluate whether the preventive and suppressive effects of auricular point stimulation combined with dexamethasone on the CINV induced by the docetaxel plus cyclophosphamide regimen are non-inferior to the standard antiemetic regimen. Additionally, it will assess patients' appetite, gastrointestinal function, and other related indicators, and explore the significant role of integrated traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine interventions in improving patients' quality of life during chemotherapy, thereby providing a clinical reference for optimizing the management of adverse reactions of this chemotherapy regimen.