Stress Reduction Through Acupuncture

Launched by UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, BASEL, SWITZERLAND · Aug 12, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying whether acupuncture can help reduce feelings of stress and emotional distress in women who have recently finished treatment for breast cancer. The study will compare women who receive acupuncture once a week for eight weeks to those who wait for treatment, to see if acupuncture makes a difference in how they feel emotionally after their cancer therapy.

Women who might join this study are those who have completed their main breast cancer treatments—like surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation—within the past six months and who are feeling moderately to highly stressed (measured by a simple distress scale). Participants need to be adults, able to understand and agree to take part, and not pregnant. During the study, women will receive weekly acupuncture sessions, which are gentle treatments using thin needles placed in specific spots on the body. The study is not yet recruiting, but if you qualify, you can expect to be part of a supportive research program exploring ways to improve emotional well-being after breast cancer treatment.

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion criteria:
• • Patients with localized breast cancer having completed primary therapy (operation +/- chemotherapy +/- radiotherapy) in the last 6 months - Distress Thermometer ≥ 5 - Age ≥ 18 years - Signed informed consent for participation of the trial
• • Prior cancer is allowed
• • Prior treatment - including chemotherapy - for a prior malignant tumor (including breast cancer) is allowed
• • Concomitant participation in an experimental therapeutic drug trial is allowed
• • Ongoing or planned Anti-her2/neu, immune checkpoint inhibitor, antihormonal and CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy or other adjuvant treatment scheduled for \> 3 months during study period is allowed
• • Use of other complementary methods (including mistletoe) is allowed.
• Exclusion criteria:
• • Patients with language or cognitive deficits (including impaired consciousness) that are incompatible with the participation in the study
• • Severe physical or psychiatric comorbidity that prevents a patient from participating in the study
• • Patients incapable of giving consent
• • Pregnancy