Acupressure for Breast Cancer

N/A

Recruiting

Led By Norah Henry

Research Sponsored by University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

Be older than 18 years old

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up baseline and 12 weeks after intervention is started

Awards & highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial is testing whether self-acupressure can help relieve joint pain and stiffness in postmenopausal women with breast cancer who are taking aromatase inhibitors. Acupressure is a

Who is the study for?

This trial is for postmenopausal women and men over 18 with breast cancer who've completed surgery and possibly chemotherapy. They must be experiencing new or worsening joint pain from aromatase inhibitor therapy, have stable internet access, and agree to use the same AI therapy for at least 12 weeks. Exclusions include recent acupressure/acupuncture users, estrogen users during the study, those planning surgeries within the study period, or having concurrent conditions that could affect pain assessment.

What is being tested?

The trial tests self-acupressure's effectiveness on musculoskeletal symptoms caused by aromatase inhibitors in breast cancer patients. It's a randomized, double-blinded study where participants apply pressure to specific body points themselves to relieve joint pain and stiffness. The impact on other symptoms and changes in gut microbiome due to acupressure are also being explored.

What are the potential side effects?

Acupressure is generally considered safe but may cause minor side effects like soreness at pressure points, bruising, or fatigue. Since it's non-invasive unlike acupuncture which uses needles, risks of serious side effects are low.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ 12 weeks after intervention is started

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~12 weeks after intervention is started

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and 12 weeks after intervention is started for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

Change in joint pain

Secondary study objectives

Adherence to trial intervention (number of days completed)

Adherence to trial intervention (number of minutes completed)

Change in anxiety

+9 more

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Group I: Acupressure Arm 2Experimental Treatment1 Intervention

There are 5 acupoints with 4 of the acupoints performed on both the left and right sides of the body. Each of the 9 acupoints will be stimulated for 3 minutes per point giving a total treatment time of 27 minutes daily. The acupoints are unlisted in order to maintain blinding.

Group II: Acupressure Arm 1Experimental Treatment1 Intervention

There are 5 acupoints with 4 of the acupoints performed on both the left and right sides of the body. Each of the 9 acupoints will be stimulated for 3 minutes per point with the AcuWand giving a total treatment time of 27 minutes daily. The relaxation acupoints are unlisted in order to maintain blinding.

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