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| Adjuvant value of acupuncture in targeted therapy and immunotherapy：Mechanisms，clinical practice，and future directions |
| Hits 590 Download times 96 Received:September 19, 2025 |
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| DOI
10.11656/j.issn.1672-1519.2026.01.08 |
| Key Words
acupuncture;moxibustion;targeted therapy;immunotherapy |
| Author Name | Affiliation | E-mail | | HU Yuxing | Second Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China | | | ZHANG Zexing | Second Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China | | | HE Ziyan | Second Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China | | | WANG Tianlin | Second Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China | | | CHANG Xuesong | Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China
Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research, Guangzhou 510120, China | | | HE Yihan | Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China
Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research, Guangzhou 510120, China | | | ZHANG Haibo | Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510120, China
Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research, Guangzhou 510120, China | haibozh@gzucm.edu.cn |
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| Abstract
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| Targeted therapy and immunotherapy have emerged as hotspots in anti-tumor research in recent years，yet limitations persist， including driver gene negativity，low PD-L1 expression，post-treatment resistance，and adverse reactions to targeted and immunotherapy. While research foundations for acupuncture-assisted surgery and radiotherapy / chemotherapy are relatively robust，studies on acupuncture-assisted targeted and immunotherapy remain scarce. We summarized the mechanisms，clinical practice，and future directions of acupuncture-assisted targeted immunotherapy. Mechanisms include：1）enhancing patient immune function to sensitize immunotherapy（boosting immune function during radiotherapy and chemotherapy ，strengthening perioperative immune function to reduce postoperative inflammatory responses，alleviating treatment-related tumor complications，and preventing tumor recurrence）； 2）modulating the tumor immune microenvironment to help reverse immune suppression；3）regulating pathways related to tumor-targeted immunotherapy，particularly modulating the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Clinical applications include：1）enhancing the antitumor efficacy of targeted immunotherapy；2） alleviating skin toxicity associated with epidermal growth factor inhibitors；3） treating gastrointestinal adverse reactions；4）improving cancer-related fatigue；5）boosting immune function and enhancing quality of life. Finally，we summarized the current limitations in acupuncture research supporting targeted immunotherapy for tumors and identifies future research challenges. |
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