Acupuncture to Treat Cancer-Related Fatigue in Breast Cancer Patients

University of Pittsburgh

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 1

Conditions: Fatigue

Treatments: Procedure: acupuncture

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT00177840

R21CA098659-01A2 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

0506139

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will evaluate if acupuncture is helpful in treating cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.

Full description

Each participant will have a baseline visit before her radiation therapy begins to complete questionnaires. Participants will receive either true acupuncture or sham acupuncture twice per week for the six weeks of radiation therapy. She will have a short questionnaire at three weeks into her radiation, and she will complete questionnaires again at the end of her radiation and four weeks later.

Enrollment: 54 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 21+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Localized breast cancer
• Average to above average fatigue
• Planning radiation therapy

Exclusion criteria

• History of acupuncture treatment
• Allergy to stainless steel
• Pacemaker
• Anticoagulant therapy
• Known bleeding disorder
• Metastatic breast cancer
• Seizure disorder

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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54 participants in 2 patient groups

1

Experimental group

Description:

True acupuncture using true needles

Treatment:

Procedure: acupuncture

2

Sham Comparator group

Description:

sham acupuncture using sham needles

Treatment:

Procedure: acupuncture