Effects of Swanson theory-based auricular acupressure on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, and broader health-related outcomes in patients with breast cancer: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is common in patients with breast cancer who received taxane-based chemotherapy. While auricular acupressure has shown promise in symptom management, its effects within a caring framework remain underexplored. This study aims to examine the effects of Swanson theory-based auricular acupressure on CIPN and broader health-related outcomes (e.g., sleep and quality of life) and the potential mediating role of inflammatory biomarkers. METHODS: Seventy-four participants with breast cancer were recruited with 1:1 random assignment in intervention group and control group. Participants in the intervention group were instructed by nurses to do Swanson theory-based auricular acupressure during the 6 cycles of chemotherapy. Auricular acupressure was applied to10 ear points with each of them evenly for 1-2 minutes at a time and 3-5 times a day according to their feeling of discomfort. CIPN symptoms, sleep quality, inflammatory biomarkers, quality of life and patient-reported nurse-patient relationship were measured. Two-factor repeated measures analysis of variance was used to assess differential change in these outcomes between the two groups over time. RESULTS: The levels of inflammatory biomarkers decreased over time in both groups. Compared to the control group, the intervention group experienced significantly larger reduction in Tumor Abnormal Protein level (P ​< ​0.001), smaller increases in CIPN symptom severity (P ​< ​0.001), improved sleep quality (P ​< ​0.001), and higher levels of trust in nurses (P ​< ​0.001) across chemotherapy cycles. CONCLUSIONS: Swanson theory-based auricular acupressure may have a potential benefit to mitigate the worsening of CIPN symptoms, improve sleep and quality of life, reduce inflammatory biomarkers, and enhance the nurse-patient relationship during chemotherapy. These findings support the integration of auricular acupressure within holistic cancer care, highlighting the value of compassionate, theory-driven nursing interventions. Further large-scale studies are recommended to confirm these outcomes and explore underlying mechanisms. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in the National Health Security Information Platform (Medical Research Registration and Information System, https://www.medicalresearch.org.cn/) (MR-14-24-054013).