Objective To observe the preventive and therapeutic effect of acupuncture on the chemotherapy-related peripheral neurotoxicity and digestive tract adverse effects of malignant tumor patients induced by paclitaxel and oxaliplatin. Methods Forty malignant tumor patients were randomized into acupuncture group and control group with 20 in each. The two groups were treated with chemotherapy and routine medication. The acupuncture group was given acupuncture at the bilateral Quchi （LI11）

Neiguan （PC 6）

Hegu （LI 4）

Zusanli （ST 36）

Sanyijiao （SP 6） and Yanglingquan （GB 34 ） at the start of chemotherapy

once per day

2 weeks in succession. After one course of chemotherapy

the National Cancer Institute （NCI） Common Toxicity Criteria Grading System Version 2.0 was adopted to evaluate the effect of treatment and score the incidence of the chemotherapy-related peripheral neurotoxicity and digestive tract adverse effects of the patients. Results The incidence of the chemotherapy-related peripheral neurotoxicity was 60% in both groups

the comparison between the two groups in the incidence and score showed no statistical difference （P>0.05）. The incidence of digestive tract adverse effects in the acupuncture group was 70%

and that in the control group was 85%

the comparison between the two groups showed no statistical difference （P>0.05）. The score of digestive tract adverse effects in the acupuncture group was lower than that in the control group

and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant （P<0.05）. Conclusion Acupuncture can alleviate the severity of digestive adverse effects of chemotherapy

while its effect on the peripheral neurotoxicity needs further study with greater samples.