Group Versus Individual Acupuncture for Cancer Pain

University of Calgary

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cancer; Pain

Treatments: Device: Acupuncture

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03641222

HREBA.CC-17-0237

Details and patient eligibility

About

Typically, in North America, acupuncture is performed on an individual basis. However, community acupuncture, also known as group acupuncture, is an emerging method of treating patients. Cancer patients, post-treatments were given acupuncture treatments to help alleviate pain, in a two-arm randomized trial.

Full description

Typically, in North America, acupuncture is performed on an individual basis. However, community acupuncture, also known as group acupuncture, is an emerging method of treating patients. Although the practice can vary, community acupuncture is performed in a group setting, typically with reclining chairs dispersed around a large room, and one practitioner treating up to six people per session.

The outcomes of this this randomized controlled trial will allow the researchers to assess whether group acupuncture is a viable treatment option for people with cancer who are suffering from pain, especially those who are either resistant to or looking to avoid the side effects of opioids.

Objectives Examine the efficacy of community acupuncture for alleviating cancer pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances and distress when compared to individual acupuncture.

Evaluate the cost-effectiveness of community acupuncture compared to individual acupuncture.

Enrollment: 76 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Adult cancer patients (≥18 years old), both male and female.
2. Experiencing pain with a minimum worst pain score (in the previous week) ≥3 on the 10-point Brief Pain Inventory (BPI).
3. All tumor groups, including metastatic patients.
4. Participant's pain can originate from any source, including postoperative, malignancy related, and neuropathic pain.
5. Must be willing to be randomized into either group, and must be able to attend a minimum of nine treatment sessions within a six-week period.

Exclusion criteria

1. Use of acupuncture within the previous six months.
2. Currently on or within one-month of active treatment (chemotherapy or radiation).

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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76 participants in 2 patient groups

Group Acupuncture

Experimental group

Description:

Group acupuncture sessions take place in a multipurpose room, with 3-6 participants, each session lasts 30-45 minutes, occurring twice-weekly, over the course of six weeks, for a total of twelve treatments. The acupuncture was administered by a Naturopathic Doctor.

Treatment:

Device: Acupuncture

Individual Acupuncture

Active Comparator group

Description:

Individual acupuncture sessions take place in a multipurpose room, privately each session lasts 30-45 minutes, occurring twice-weekly, over the course of six weeks, for a total of twelve treatments. The acupuncture was administered by a Naturopathic Doctor.

Treatment:

Device: Acupuncture