Self-administered Acupressure to Improve Cancer-related Fatigue Among Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

Launched by THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG · Jun 5, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying whether self-administered acupressure can help reduce cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, similar to the effects of aerobic exercise. The trial will involve 138 patients aged 18 and older who are about to start their first round of outpatient chemotherapy. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the acupressure group, where they will learn self-acupressure techniques with the help of a trained practitioner, or the aerobic exercise group, which will also include instruction from a fitness specialist. Both groups will practice on their own for 12 weeks.

To be eligible for the trial, participants must have a breast cancer diagnosis, have good health status (meaning they can carry out daily activities), and provide written consent. They should not have received acupressure or done significant exercise recently, nor should they be pregnant or have certain injuries. Throughout the study, researchers will look at various factors, including sleep quality and overall quality of life, to see how these two methods compare in helping patients feel better during chemotherapy.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. aged 18 or above
• • 2. with a diagnosis of breast cancer
• • 3. scheduled to commence their first cycle of outpatient adjuvant chemotherapy
• • 4. have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1
• • 5. screened as no contraindications for exercise based on a pre-exercise safety assessment (including aspects of blood results, cardiorespiratory signs and symptoms, metastasis, and variations in cognitive functions)
• • 6. written informed consent
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. have received/self-administered acupressure or acupuncture in the previous 3 months
• • 2. have engaged in \>90 min of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per week in the previous 3 months
• • 3. are pregnant or lactating
• • 4. have any injury or ulcers around the acupoints
• • 5. unable to communicate in Cantonese, Mandarin, or English