Acupressure for Fatigue in Ovarian Cancer Survivors

University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

Status: Completed

Conditions: Ovarian Cancer; Fatigue

Treatments: Other: Sham acupressure; Other: Standard of Care; Other: Acupressure

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT03763838

UMCC 2018.130

W81XWH1810180 (Other Grant/Funding Number)

HUM00143509 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to see if accupressure can help reduce the severity of fatigue experienced by ovarian cancer patients. Acupressure involves applying mild to moderate physical pressure by fingers, hand or a device to specific points on the skin to try to bring about a change in the body's functioning, in this case relief from chronic fatigue.

Enrollment: 171 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 21+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Women aged 21 and older
• Diagnosis of ovarian cancer, stages I to IV
• Have average persistent fatigue defined a >=4 on the Brief Fatigue Inventory.
• Fatigue must have started at or after the diagnosis of ovarian cancer
• Completed all primary cancer treatments (surgery, chemotherapy at least 6 months prior), except maintenance therapies
• No other planned interventions for fatigue other than current stable medication

Exclusion criteria

• Medically unstable
• Acupuncture or acupressure receipt in past year
• Have a diagnosis of untreated mood disorder, e.g., bipolar or major depressive disorder
• Have a current diagnosis of anemia
• Have a current untreated diagnosis of hypothyroidism
• Have an initiation, a cessation or change of treatment of any chronic medications, dietary supplements, behavioral therapy, physical therapy, etc., or any planned change of medications, supplements or therapies during the study
• Have the possibility of becoming pregnant

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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171 participants in 3 patient groups

Acupressure plus standard of care

Experimental group

Description:

Using AcuWand, participants will apply acupressure to points that are known to affect physiology. Participants will also receive standard of care.

Treatment:

Other: Acupressure

Other: Standard of Care

Sham acupressure plus standard of care

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Using AcuWand, participants will apply acupressure to points that are not known to affect physiology. Participants will also receive standard of care.

Treatment:

Other: Standard of Care

Other: Sham acupressure

Standard of care

Other group

Description:

Participants will receive standard of care only.

Treatment:

Other: Standard of Care