A Phase 2 interventional study of Auricular point stimulation plus dexamethasone in Nausea and Vomiting Caused by Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, sponsored by Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University. Recruiting at 1 site in China. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 85 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-17.
Sponsored by Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University · Phase 2, Interventional, and Prevention
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if auricular point stimulation plus dexamethasone works to effectively prevent or suppress nausea and vomiting caused by trastuzumab deruxtecan in breast cancer palliative therapy. It will also learn about the safety and influence on gastrointestinal function of auricular point stimulation plus dexamethasone.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
Can auricular point stimulation plus dexamethasone effectively prevent or suppress nausea and vomiting induced by trastuzumab deruxtecan? Can auricular point stimulation plus dexamethasone effectively reduce the incidence of appetite loss, weakened or disordered gastrointestinal function, and other uncomfortable conditions caused by excessive use of antiemetic drugs?
Participants will: Receive auricular acupressure with bean seeds on specific points of one ear, plus intravenous injection of dexamethasone as a preventive antiemetic treatment within half an hour before trastuzumab deruxtecan treatment. Starting from the day of trastuzumab deruxtecan treatment (Day 1) to the following five days (Day 1-Day 5), provide regular stimulation at the acupressure points daily by themselves according to the protocol provided in this trial. Record their nausea and vomiting status, appetite, and gastrointestinal function-related symptomatic indicators from Day 1 to Day 5. Oral antiemetics are also prepared. If nausea and vomiting are significant or the patient feels the need, they may be temporarily administered as an adjunct.
Trastuzumab deruxtecan is an important therapeutic agent in the palliative treatment of advanced breast cancer. It is used as first-line therapy for HER2-positive advanced breast cancer in patients who have previously received anti-HER2 treatment, as well as second-line or later therapy for advanced or recurrent breast cancer. Additionally, it is the first targeted therapy approved in China for HER2-low advanced breast cancer. While it improves patient survival rates, it is also associated with certain gastrointestinal adverse reactions, with treatment-related nausea and vomiting being particularly common, occurring in nearly 80% of cases. The majority of these symptoms occur on the day of administration and within the following four days. This regimen is currently classified as a high emetic risk treatment in clinical guidelines. The recommended prophylactic antiemetic strategy typically involves a quadruple regimen combining corticosteroids (e.g., dexamethasone), 5-HT3 receptor antagonists (e.g., ondansetron, palonosetron), NK1 receptor antagonists (e.g., fosaprepitant, aprepitant), and the antipsychotic drug olanzapine. However, in clinical practice, many patients experience drug-related gastrointestinal adverse reactions such as anorexia, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea due to the use of high-intensity antiemetic therapy. Studies have shown that the incidence of constipation in chemotherapy patients treated with palonosetron nearly doubles. The aggressive use of antiemetics severely impacts patients' gastrointestinal function, quality of life, and even their treatment adherence. Therefore, how to effectively prevent trastuzumab deruxtecan -induced nausea and vomiting while minimizing the side effects of antiemetic therapy itself has become a practical issue that healthcare professionals urgently need to address.
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 anti-cancer therapy-related nausea and vomiting 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 trastuzumab deruxtecan. 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 theoretical and practical foundation described above, this study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of auricular point pressing with beans combined with dexamethasone in preventing and suppressing nausea and vomiting induced by trastuzumab deruxtecan in the palliative treatment of breast cancer. It will also assess patient appetite, gastrointestinal function, and other related indicators, exploring the important role of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine interventions in improving the quality of life of patients during antitumor therapy. The findings are expected to provide clinical references for optimizing the management of adverse reactions associated with trastuzumab deruxtecan.
644 studies on the registry are indexed under Nausea; 85 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 25 is below the median of 96 across 544 interventional studies indexed under Nausea.
Browse Nausea studies →Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University is the lead sponsor of 1,047 studies on the registry; 502 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Inclusion Criteria: Patients must meet the following inclusion criteria for the study:
Exclusion Criteria: Patients who meet any of the following criteria will be excluded from the study:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.
Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.
Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.
The number of neutrophils, white blood cells that help fight infection, in a given amount of blood. Too few raises the risk of infection.
It is a count, not a percentage of the white cells. Limits are written in units that mean the same: ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L is ≥ 1,500 per mm³ (µL). Each lab has its own reference range.
A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.
Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.
The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.
“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.
A score of how well the liver works in people with liver disease such as cirrhosis: class A is mild, B moderate and C severe.
How quickly the kidneys clear creatinine, a waste product, from the blood. A study may estimate it from a blood test with age, weight and sex (often by the Cockcroft–Gault formula), or measure it using blood and urine collected over a set time. Given in mL/min; higher is better.
The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.
Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.
Cancer deposits in the brain from a cancer that started elsewhere in the body (CNS metastases include the spinal cord).
Studies differ: some leave out any brain metastases, some accept ones treated and stable for some weeks. Check what this study allows.
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
ECOG performance status
A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.
Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Platelets
Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Absolute neutrophil count (ANC)
The number of neutrophils, white blood cells that help fight infection, in a given amount of blood. Too few raises the risk of infection.
It is a count, not a percentage of the white cells. Limits are written in units that mean the same: ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L is ≥ 1,500 per mm³ (µL). Each lab has its own reference range.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Bilirubin
A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.
Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ULN (upper limit of normal)
The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.
“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Child-Pugh class
A score of how well the liver works in people with liver disease such as cirrhosis: class A is mild, B moderate and C severe.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Creatinine clearance (CrCl)
How quickly the kidneys clear creatinine, a waste product, from the blood. A study may estimate it from a blood test with age, weight and sex (often by the Cockcroft–Gault formula), or measure it using blood and urine collected over a set time. Given in mL/min; higher is better.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
NYHA class (heart failure)
The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.
Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Brain metastases
Cancer deposits in the brain from a cancer that started elsewhere in the body (CNS metastases include the spinal cord).
Studies differ: some leave out any brain metastases, some accept ones treated and stable for some weeks. Check what this study allows.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hypersensitivity
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Metastases
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
For breast cancer patients who will receive trastuzumab deruxtecan for breast cancer palliative therapy, preventive antiemetic treatment consisting of unilateral auricular point stimulation at specific acupoints and dexamethasone will be administered within 30 minutes before chemotherapy. Auricular acupoint stimulation is performed by adhering Vaccaria seeds to specific points with adhesive tape and applying moderate pressure until a certain level of soreness is elicited. Vaccaria seeds are kept on the ear from the day of trastuzumab deruxtecan treatment (Day 1) until the end of Day 5.
Other: Auricular point stimulation plus dexamethasone
On the day of trastuzumab deruxtecan treatment (d1): Within half an hour before chemotherapy, administer auricular acupressure on one ear (stimulating the stomach, cardia, and brainstem acupoints for 5 minutes each) along with an intravenous push of 5 mg dexamethasone. From the day of chemotherapy (d1) to the following five days (d1-d5): Stimulate each acupoint once in the morning, noon, and evening, for 5 minutes each time. If nausea or vomiting occurs, immediately apply additional stimulation for 5 minutes as a temporary measure. Oral antiemetics should be prepared and may be used temporarily if nausea and vomiting are significant and the patient feels the need.
This study also gives Trastuzumab deruxtecan. No intervention listed here names it: that was found by reading the record.
Proportion of patients experiencing nausea as assessed by NIC-CTC AE4.0
Participants will be asked to fill out a questionnaire to record whether nausea occurs. If nausea occurs, its grade according to the NIC-CTC AE4.0 should be recorded.
Time frame: from the day of trastuzumab deruxtecan treatment (Day 1) until the end of Day 5
Proportion of patients experiencing vomiting as assessed by NIC-CTC AE4.0
Participants will be asked to fill out a questionnaire to record whether vomiting occurs. If vomiting occurs, its grade according to the NIC-CTC AE4.0 should be recorded.
Time frame: from the day of trastuzumab deruxtecan treatment (Day 1) until the end of Day 5
Proportion of patients requiring additional antiemetics
Time frame: from the day of trastuzumab deruxtecan treatment (Day 1) until the end of Day 5
Proportion of patients experiencing chemotherapy-related adverse events as assessed by CTCAE v4.0
Time frame: from the day of trastuzumab deruxtecan treatment (Day 1) until the end of Day 5
Plan to share: No
Started Nov 2025 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Nov 2026, 12 months after the start.
Of 34 phase 2 interventional studies under Nausea, half reached primary completion within 24 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 12 and three quarters within 43. This study's planned 12 months is below that.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
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Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University →