Acupuncture for Symptoms of Nerve Damage

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Peripheral Neuropathy; Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Treatments: Procedure: Sham Acupuncture; Other: Usual Care Group; Procedure: Acupuncture; Behavioral: questionnaires

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03183037

17-298

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of real acupuncture with placebo acupuncture or usual care on symptoms of nerve damage from chemotherapy.

Enrollment: 75 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• English-speaking
• Age ≥ 18 years old
• Solid tumor survivors with no evidence of disease
• Moderate to severe CIPN, defined by symptoms such as numbness, tingling, or pain ratings of 4 or greater on a 0-10 numeric rating scale (NRS)
• Have completed neurotoxic chemotherapy at least 3 months prior to enrollment
• If taking anti-neuropathy medications, they are on a stable regimen (no change in 3 months)

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with a pacemaker
• Prior acupuncture treatment within 5 years of enrollment

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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75 participants in 3 patient groups, including a placebo group

Acupuncture Treatment Group

Experimental group

Description:

Ten acupuncture treatments over the course of eight weeks, with twice weekly acupuncture treatments for the first two weeks, and then weekly treatment thereafter.

Treatment:

Behavioral: questionnaires

Procedure: Acupuncture

Sham Acupuncture Treatment Group

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Ten sham acupuncture treatments over the course of eight weeks, with twice weekly sham acupuncture treatments for the first two weeks, and then weekly sham acupuncture treatment thereafter.

Treatment:

Behavioral: questionnaires

Procedure: Sham Acupuncture

Usual Care Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

Twelve weeks of usual care.

Treatment:

Other: Usual Care Group

Behavioral: questionnaires