Acupressure for Anxiety in Cancer Patients

Overseen By Clinical Trials Referral Office

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Mayo Clinic

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Not on chemotherapy, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 2 Jurisdictions This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

Duration: 1 session

30 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This clinical trial evaluates whether acupressure is helpful to reduce anxiety related to chemotherapy. Anxiety is experienced by many patients with cancer. Anxiety can be related to chemotherapy and may contribute to other symptoms, such as nausea and poor quality of life. Some patients diagnosed with cancer express interest in non-medicinal ways to manage symptoms. Acupressure is a noninvasive intervention that can be used for many different symptoms. Acupressure is well tolerated with minimal reports of adverse reactions, making it a good choice for patients with cancer. This study may help researchers learn whether acupressure is useful for managing anxiety in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It focuses on using acupressure to help with anxiety during chemotherapy.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Acupressure, Acupuncture without needles, Pressure therapy for anxiety in cancer patients?

Research shows that acupressure can help reduce anxiety and improve quality of life in cancer patients, as seen in studies where it was used to manage anxiety during bone marrow biopsies and chemotherapy. Additionally, auricular acupressure has been found to help with anxiety and other symptoms in cancer patients. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is acupressure safe for cancer patients?

Research shows that acupressure is generally safe for cancer patients, with very few minor side effects reported in some studies. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

How does acupressure differ from other treatments for anxiety in cancer patients?

Acupressure is unique because it involves applying pressure to specific points on the body to reduce anxiety, which is different from medications or talk therapies. It can be self-administered, making it accessible and convenient for patients, and it has shown promise in reducing anxiety without the side effects associated with drugs. ^{2 3 8 9 10}

Research Team

Laura S. Rhee, D.O.

Principal Investigator

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for cancer patients experiencing anxiety during chemotherapy. It's open to those interested in non-medicinal symptom management. Specific eligibility details are not provided, but typically participants must meet certain health criteria.

Inclusion Criteria

Report anxiety as a 1 or higher, on a scale from 0 (no anxiety) to 4 (severe anxiety)

I am currently receiving chemotherapy at the Mayo Clinic.

I am over 18 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

Does not meet the inclusion criteria

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants undergo acupressure over 15-120 seconds at a time for up to 15 minutes during chemotherapy sessions

1 session

1 visit (in-person)

Education

Optional education session on using acupressure at home

1 session

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in anxiety after the acupressure intervention

1 week

1 visit (virtual)

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Acupressure

Trial Overview The study tests if acupressure can reduce anxiety in chemotherapy patients. It includes educational sessions, questionnaires, electronic health record reviews, and the application of acupressure therapy.

Participant Groups

Group I: Supportive Care (acupressure) Experimental Treatment 4 Interventions

Patients undergo acupressure over 15-120 seconds at a time for up to 15 minutes. After completion of the session, patients may optionally receive an education session on using acupressure at home.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Mayo Clinic

Lead Sponsor

Trials

3,427

Recruited

3,221,000+

Findings from Research

In a randomized controlled trial involving 90 cancer patients undergoing bone marrow biopsy, acupressure significantly reduced both pain intensity (average score of 4.9) and anxiety levels (average score of 1.5) compared to the control and placebo groups.

The study suggests that acupressure is a cost-effective and easy-to-implement method that can be beneficial in clinical settings for managing pain and anxiety in patients with cancer.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of acupressure on pain, anxiety, and the physiological indexes of patients with cancer undergoing bone marrow biopsy. Sharifi Rizi, M., Shamsalinia, A., Ghaffari, F., et al.[2018]

Self-acupressure was found to be feasible and showed clinical significance in reducing insomnia, anxiety, and depression symptoms in cancer patients, particularly in the true acupressure group after 4 weeks of intervention.

Both true and sham acupressure groups reported lower insomnia and anxiety scores compared to the enhanced standard care group, indicating potential effectiveness and a possible placebo effect in managing these symptoms.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pilot randomized sham-controlled trial of self-acupressure to manage the symptom cluster of insomnia, depression, and anxiety in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Hoang, HTX., Molassiotis, A., Chan, CW., et al.[2022]

Auricular acupressure (AA) significantly reduces cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, particularly for physical and affective fatigue, based on a study of 100 patients over 9 weeks.

AA using Semen Vaccariae (SV) is more effective for alleviating physical fatigue, while AA with magnetic beads is better for reducing anxiety, although AA did not show significant improvements in sleep quality.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Auricular acupressure for cancer-related fatigue during lung cancer chemotherapy: a randomised trial. Lin, L., Zhang, Y., Qian, HY., et al.[2021]

Auricular acupressure significantly improved the quality of life for women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy, particularly in reducing nausea, vomiting, and breast symptoms, based on a randomized trial with 54 participants over 12 weeks.

The intervention was found to be safe, effective, low-cost, and easy to apply by trained nurses, suggesting it could be a valuable complementary therapy for enhancing the well-being of breast cancer patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Auricular acupressure in the quality of life of women with breast cancer: a randomized clinical trial. Vallim, ETA., Marques, ADCB., Coelho, RCFP., et al.[2022]

Somatic acupoint stimulation (SAS) has moderate evidence showing it can significantly reduce anxiety in cancer patients, with effect sizes indicating meaningful improvements (SMD = -0.52 for acupuncture and SMD = -0.89 for acupressure).

While SAS also appears to decrease depression in cancer patients (SMD = -1.26 for acupuncture and SMD = -1.42 for acupressure), the evidence for this effect is rated as low, and no significant differences were found between true and sham stimulation, highlighting the need for more rigorous studies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of somatic acupoint stimulation on anxiety and depression in cancer patients: An updated systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Wang, T., Tan, JB., Yao, LQ., et al.[2023]

Acupoint stimulation, particularly acupressure on the P6 acupoint, has shown positive effects in managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients, with 88% of the 26 trials reviewed reporting beneficial outcomes.

However, only 35% of the trials were of high quality, indicating a need for more rigorously designed studies to confirm the efficacy of acupoint stimulation for other therapy-related adverse events.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The efficacy of acupoint stimulation for the management of therapy-related adverse events in patients with breast cancer: a systematic review. Chao, LF., Zhang, AL., Liu, HE., et al.[2022]

Auricular acupressure significantly improves sleep quality in cancer patients, as evidenced by a reduction in the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score, with a mean difference of -3.88, based on a meta-analysis of 6 trials involving 485 participants.

The intervention showed no serious side effects, with only one trial reporting slight and transient pain, indicating that auricular acupressure is a safe option for managing sleep disturbances in this patient population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Auricular Acupressure Therapy for Patients with Cancer with Sleep Disturbance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Wang, Y., Zhang, J., Jin, Y., et al.[2022]

Acupressure significantly reduces anxiety levels, with a large effect size (standardized mean difference of 1.152) based on a systematic review of 27 studies, indicating its potential as an effective treatment option.

The effectiveness of acupressure varies by participant type, showing greater benefits for inpatients and preoperative patients, although the high heterogeneity among studies suggests that results should be interpreted with caution.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Acupressure on Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Chen, SR., Hou, WH., Lai, JN., et al.[2022]

Acupuncture is a feasible treatment option for breast cancer patients in a hospital setting, as demonstrated in a study with 20 participants undergoing postoperative care.

The study found that acupuncture significantly reduced anxiety, tension, and pain levels in these patients, indicating its potential as a beneficial intervention during recovery.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Acupuncture in the postoperative setting for breast cancer patients: a feasibility study. Mallory, MJ., Croghan, KA., Sandhu, NP., et al.[2022]

A retrospective review of 32 cancer patients receiving virtual acupressure sessions showed a significant reduction in overall symptom burden, with a decrease of 4.9 points on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) after follow-up, indicating potential efficacy of this remote intervention.

The study highlighted that virtual acupressure not only reduced total symptom burden but also improved physical and emotional symptoms, suggesting it could be a valuable supportive care option for cancer patients during disruptions in in-person services.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual acupressure for symptom management in cancer populations during COVID-19: a retrospective analysis. Yang, E., Lu, W., Tanasijevic, AM., et al.[2023]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of acupressure on pain, anxiety, and the physiological indexes of patients with cancer undergoing bone marrow biopsy. [2018]

2. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pilot randomized sham-controlled trial of self-acupressure to manage the symptom cluster of insomnia, depression, and anxiety in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. [2022]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Auricular acupressure for cancer-related fatigue during lung cancer chemotherapy: a randomised trial. [2021]

4. Brazil pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Auricular acupressure in the quality of life of women with breast cancer: a randomized clinical trial. [2022]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of somatic acupoint stimulation on anxiety and depression in cancer patients: An updated systematic review of randomized controlled trials. [2023]

6. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The efficacy of acupoint stimulation for the management of therapy-related adverse events in patients with breast cancer: a systematic review. [2022]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Auricular Acupressure Therapy for Patients with Cancer with Sleep Disturbance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. [2022]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Acupressure on Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. [2022]

9. Singapore pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Acupuncture in the postoperative setting for breast cancer patients: a feasibility study. [2022]

10. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual acupressure for symptom management in cancer populations during COVID-19: a retrospective analysis. [2023]