Acupoint Application for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Lung Cancer

Acupoint Application Combined With 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonist for Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Lung Cancer Patients: A Single-Center, Randomized, Controlled Trial

This single-center, randomized, controlled study evaluates whether acupoint application added to standard 5-HT3 receptor antagonist anti-nausea medication improves control of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in adults with lung cancer receiving first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either acupoint application plus a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist or the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist alone for one chemotherapy cycle. The study will compare complete control of delayed nausea and vomiting between the two groups.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Lung Cancer (Diagnosis)Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: 5-HT3 receptor antagonist (e.g., ondansetron); Other: Acupoint application

Detailed Description

Adults with pathologically confirmed lung cancer who are scheduled to receive first-line platinum-based chemotherapy are eligible. After providing written informed consent, participants are randomized 1:1 to receive either acupoint application using a herbal plaster applied to selected acupoints plus standard 5-HT3 receptor antagonist prophylaxis, or 5-HT3 receptor antagonist prophylaxis alone. Nausea and vomiting episodes are recorded by participants using patient diaries, and quality of life is assessed with the Functional Living Index-Emesis questionnaire.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Xiu HUANG; Phone Number: +8615023119040; Email: 104100275@qq.com

Study Locations

• China
  • Chongqing Municipality
    • Chongqing, Chongqing Municipality, China, 402160
      • Recruiting
      • The Affiliated Yongchuan Hospital of Chongqing Medical University
      • Contact: Xiu HUANG; Phone Number: +8615023119040; Email: 104100275@qq.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Pathologically or cytologically confirmed lung cancer.
• Scheduled to receive first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.
• Aged 18 to 75 years.
• Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) score ≥ 60.
• Expected survival ≥ 3 months.
• Voluntarily signed written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Known allergy to any component of the acupoint plaster.
• Severe skin disease, infection, or breakdown at the planned acupoint sites. --Pregnant or lactating women.
• Cognitive impairment or psychiatric disorder that prevents completion of study assessments.
• Participation in another interventional clinical trial within 30 days prior to enrollment.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Acupoint application plus 5-HT3 receptor antagonist; Participants receive herbal acupoint plaster applied to selected acupoints plus standard 5-HT3 receptor antagonist prophylaxis before and during one cycle of platinum-based chemotherapy.	Drug: 5-HT3 receptor antagonist (e.g., ondansetron); Standard antiemetic prophylaxis for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.; Other: Acupoint application; Herbal plaster applied to selected acupoints to alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
Active Comparator: 5-HT3 receptor antagonist alone; Participants receive standard 5-HT3 receptor antagonist prophylaxis alone before and during one cycle of platinum-based chemotherapy.	Drug: 5-HT3 receptor antagonist (e.g., ondansetron); Standard antiemetic prophylaxis for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Complete response rate of delayed-phase CINV (24-120 h)	Complete response is defined as no emetic episodes and no rescue antiemetic use during 24 to 120 hours after the first cycle of platinum-based chemotherapy. The outcome will be compared between the acupoint application plus 5-HT3 receptor antagonist group and the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist alone group.	24 to 120 hours after the first cycle of platinum-based chemotherapy (each cycle is 21-28 days)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Complete response rate of acute-phase CINV (0-24 h)	Complete response is defined as no emetic episodes and no rescue antiemetic use during 0 to 24 hours after the first cycle of platinum-based chemotherapy.	0 to 24 hours after the first cycle of platinum-based chemotherapy (each cycle is 21-28 days)
MAT nausea score	Nausea severity measured by the Morrow Assessment of Nausea and Emesis (MAT) questionnaire after the first cycle of platinum-based chemotherapy.	During the first cycle of platinum-based chemotherapy (each cycle is 21-28 days)
FLIE quality-of-life score	Quality of life assessed by the Functional Living Index-Emesis (FLIE) questionnaire after the first cycle of platinum-based chemotherapy.	During the first cycle of platinum-based chemotherapy (each cycle is 21-28 days)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Xiu Huang

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 15, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 15, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 11, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 13, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): August 17, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 17, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 13, 2026
• Last Verified: August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: randomized controlled trial; lung cancer; supportive care; chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting; acupoint application; 5-HT3 receptor antagonist
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Signs and Symptoms, Digestive; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Lung Diseases; Respiratory Tract Neoplasms; Thoracic Neoplasms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Lung Neoplasms; Vomiting; Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring; Heterocyclic Compounds; Heterocyclic Compounds, 2-Ring; Heterocyclic Compounds, Fused-Ring; Azoles; Imidazoles; Indoles; Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring; Carbazoles; Ondansetron
• Other Study ID Numbers: XWFT-2025-001

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: IPD Sharing Plan: Individual participant data that underlie the results reported in this article will be shared after de-identification. Data will be available beginning 3 months and ending 5 years following article publication. Researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal may request access to the data through the corresponding author. Proposals will be reviewed by the study team to ensure they comply with Chinese data privacy regulations and the informed consent signed by participants.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No