Effects of Acupoint Application of Chinese Medicine Combined with Enteral Nutrition on Nutritional Status and Gastrointestinal Function of Patients with Lung Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy

Abstract

Acupoint application of Chinese medicine is a non-invasive method that offers substantial benefits in adjuvant chemotherapy treatment of tumors. We analyzed the impacts of acupoint application of Chinese medicine combined with enteral nutrition on the nutritional status and gastrointestinal function of patients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy. We randomly included 110 patients with lung cancer hospitalized for chemotherapy at Nantong Cancer Hospital between January 2022 and June 2023. The patients were given routine symptomatic treatment during chemotherapy. Patients in the experimental group received acupoint applications of Chinese medicine combined with enteral nutrition, while those in the control group received no intervention. We found that acupoint application of Chinese medicine combined with enteral nutrition increased hemoglobin, albumin, total protein, immunoglobulin G, and immunoglobulin A levels and scores in each dimension of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire and decreased the total effective rate of nausea and vomiting. Acupoint application of Chinese medicine combined with enteral nutrition can improve the nutritional status and gastrointestinal function of patients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy.