FatigueNCT03763838

Acupressure for Fatigue in Ovarian Cancer Survivors

A study testing Acupressure in people with Fatigue and Ovarian Cancer, run by University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record

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Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to see if accupressure can help reduce the severity of fatigue experienced by ovarian cancer patients. Acupressure involves applying mild to moderate physical pressure by fingers, hand or a device to specific points on the skin to try to bring about a change in the body's functioning, in… Read more about this study

Who is it for?: Ages 21 years and older, women only
Conditions the study is for: Fatigue, Ovarian Cancer
What is being tested?: Acupressure
Could I receive a placebo?: Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people: 171 participants
Where: 1 siteUnited States
Study dates: 7 Oct 2019to 18 Jun 2024
Phase: Interventional
Are there results?: Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

Ages 21 years and older
Women only
No healthy volunteers
Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

Women aged 21 and older
Diagnosis of ovarian cancer, stages I to IV
Have average persistent fatigue defined a >=4 on the Brief Fatigue Inventory.
Fatigue must have started at or after the diagnosis of ovarian cancer
Completed all primary cancer treatments (surgery, chemotherapy at least 6 months prior), except maintenance therapies
No other planned interventions for fatigue other than current stable medication

Who cannot join

Medically unstable
Acupuncture or acupressure receipt in past year
Have a diagnosis of untreated mood disorder, e.g., bipolar or major depressive disorder
Have a current diagnosis of anemia
Have a current untreated diagnosis of hypothyroidism
Have an initiation, a cessation or change of treatment of any chronic medications, dietary supplements, behavioral therapy, physical therapy, etc., or any planned change of medications, supplements or therapies during the study
Have the possibility of becoming pregnant

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site

University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109

Other trials in United States

About this study

Conditions: Fatigue, Ovarian Cancer
Being tested: Acupressure, Sham acupressure, Standard of Care
Keywords: Acupressure
Medical subject headings: Fatigue, Ovarian Neoplasms

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

AcupressureOther
Six weeks of daily self-administered relaxing acupressure. Instructions will be provided for how to perform acupressure on self. A tool (AcuWand) will be provided to help participants apply the right amount of pressure on the appropriate points on their bodies. These are points that are recognized as effective in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
Sham acupressureOther
Six weeks of daily self-administered sham acupressure. Instructions will be provided for how to perform acupressure on self. A tool (AcuWand) will be provided to help participants apply the right amount of pressure; however, the points that participants are instructed to use are not known to have any effect on the body.
Standard of CareOther
Fatigue management provided by participants' health care providers.

Study groups in NCT03763838
Study group	Role	What they receive
Acupressure plus standard of care	Experimental	Using AcuWand, participants will apply acupressure to points that are known to affect physiology. Participants will also receive standard of care. Receives: Other: Acupressure; Other: Standard of Care
Sham acupressure plus standard of care	Sham comparator	Using AcuWand, participants will apply acupressure to points that are not known to affect physiology. Participants will also receive standard of care. Receives: Other: Sham acupressure; Other: Standard of Care
Standard of care	Other	Participants will receive standard of care only. Receives: Other: Standard of Care

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

Change in Level of Fatigue at Week 6
Self-reported on the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI). The Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) uses a scale of 0 to 10 for each item, with 0 representing "no fatigue" and 10 representing "fatigue as bad as you can imagine". Scores are then categorized as mild (1-3), moderate (4-6), and severe (7-10). The global BFI score is calculated as the average of all items, and a score of 7 or greater is considered clinically significant.
Measured: Baseline to week 6
Change in Level of Fatigue up to Week 24
Self-reported on the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI). The Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) uses a scale of 0 to 10 for each item, with 0 representing "no fatigue" and 10 representing "fatigue as bad as you can imagine". Scores are then categorized as mild (1-3), moderate (4-6), and severe (7-10). The global BFI score is calculated as the average of all items, and a score of 7 or greater is considered clinically significant.
Measured: Baseline up to week 24

Secondary outcomes (4)

Change in Quality of Life at Week 6
Self-reported on the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Ovarian (FACT-O). The FACT-O is a questionnaire used to assess the quality of life in women with ovarian cancer. It includes 7 items, each scored from 0 to 4, with higher scores representing a more positive quality of life. Mean scores are reported by arm and timepoint. score range of 0-28.
Measured: Baseline to week 6
Change in Quality of Life up to Week 24
Self-reported on the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Ovarian (FACT-O). The FACT-O is a questionnaire used to assess the quality of life in women with ovarian cancer. It includes 7 items, each scored from 0 to 4, with higher scores representing a more positive quality of life. Mean scores are reported by arm and timepoint. score range of 0-28.
Measured: Baseline up to week 24
Change in Sleep Quality at Week 6
Self-reported on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) yields a global score ranging from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality.
Measured: Baseline to week 6
Change in Sleep Quality up to Week 24
Self-reported on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) yields a global score ranging from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality.
Measured: Baseline up to week 24

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

7 Oct 201918 Jun 2024

First posted4 Dec 2018
Study start7 Oct 2019
Primary completion18 Jun 2024
Study completion18 Jun 2024

Resources

Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
Other trials for FatigueStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
More trials run by University of Michigan Rogel Cancer CenterThe sponsor's other registered studies.
What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design

Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase N/A
Primary purpose: Supportive care
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: Quadruple blind
Who is masked: Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment: 171 participants (actual)

IDs, dates and publications

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03763838
Sponsor's protocol ID: UMCC 2018.130
Other IDs: HUM00143509, W81XWH1810180
Status last verified: Jan 2026
First submitted: 3 Dec 2018
Last updated: 5 Feb 2026
Results posted: Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
FDA-regulated drug: No
FDA-regulated device: No
Individual data sharing: No

Publications

Zick SM, Chen D, Harris RE, Kruger G, Runyon A, Sen A, Snyder S, Pearce CL. Self-Acupressure for Fatigue in Patients Surviving Ovarian Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2026 Feb 2;9(2):e2556357. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.56357.
PubMed 41642626
Zick SM, Kruger G, Harte S, Sen A, Harris RE, Pearce CL. Acupressure for Cancer-fatigue in Ovarian Cancer Survivor (AcuOva) Study: A community-based clinical trial study protocol examining the impact of self-acupressure on persistent cancer-related fatigue in ovarian cancer survivors. Contemp Clin Trials. 2021 Aug;107:106477. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2021.106477. Epub 2021 Jun 10.
PubMed 34119716

Want to know more?

The sponsor has not listed a contact. The official record may have more details.

Talk to your doctor first and take this page with you. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

Questions to ask the study team

What is the study trying to find out?
What would I need to do, and how often would I visit?
Could I receive a placebo instead of the treatment?
What are the possible risks and benefits for me?
Will it cost me anything? Are travel or time paid for?
Can I keep seeing my own doctor during the study?
What happens when the study ends?

See locations

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All Fatigue trials

Study at a glance

From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 5 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.

Official title: Acupressure for Fatigue in Ovarian Cancer Survivors
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03763838
Acronym / sponsor ID: UMCC 2018.130
Conditions: Fatigue, Ovarian Cancer
Keywords: Acupressure
Study type: Interventional
Recruitment status: Completed
Enrolment: 171 participants (actual)
Lead sponsor: University of Michigan Rogel Cancer CenterUniversity, hospital or other
Collaborators: United States Department of Defense
Study start: 7 Oct 2019 (actual)
Primary completion: 18 Jun 2024 (actual)
Study completion: 18 Jun 2024 (actual)
First posted: 4 Dec 2018 (actual)
Results: Posted 5 Feb 2026

Clinical summary

The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.

Study design

Primary purpose: Supportive care
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: Quadruple blind (participant, care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
Number of arms: 3

Arm	Type	Receives
Acupressure plus standard of care	Experimental	Other: Acupressure, Other: Standard of CareUsing AcuWand, participants will apply acupressure to points that are known to affect physiology. Participants will also receive standard of care.
Sham acupressure plus standard of care	Sham comparator	Other: Sham acupressure, Other: Standard of CareUsing AcuWand, participants will apply acupressure to points that are not known to affect physiology. Participants will also receive standard of care.
Standard of care	Other	Other: Standard of CareParticipants will receive standard of care only.

Who may qualify

Ages: 21 years and older
Sex: Female only
Healthy volunteers: Not accepted
Age groups: Adult, Older adult

Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)

Women aged 21 and older
Diagnosis of ovarian cancer, stages I to IV
Have average persistent fatigue defined a >=4 on the Brief Fatigue Inventory.
Fatigue must have started at or after the diagnosis of ovarian cancer
Completed all primary cancer treatments (surgery, chemotherapy at least 6 months prior), except maintenance therapies

Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)

Medically unstable
Acupuncture or acupressure receipt in past year
Have a diagnosis of untreated mood disorder, e.g., bipolar or major depressive disorder
Have a current diagnosis of anemia
Have a current untreated diagnosis of hypothyroidism

Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Interventions

Intervention	Type	Arms
AcupressureSix weeks of daily self-administered relaxing acupressure. Instructions will be provided for how to perform acupressure on self. A tool (AcuWand) will be provided to help participants apply the right amount of pressure on the appropriate points on their bodies. These are points that are recognized as effective in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).	Other	Acupressure plus standard of care
Sham acupressureSix weeks of daily self-administered sham acupressure. Instructions will be provided for how to perform acupressure on self. A tool (AcuWand) will be provided to help participants apply the right amount of pressure; however, the points that participants are instructed to use are not known to have any effect on the body.	Other	Sham acupressure plus standard of care
Standard of CareFatigue management provided by participants' health care providers.	Other	Acupressure plus standard of care, Sham acupressure plus standard of care, Standard of care

Primary outcome

Change in Level of Fatigue at Week 6
Time frame: Baseline to week 6
Self-reported on the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI). The Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) uses a scale of 0 to 10 for each item, with 0 representing "no fatigue" and 10 representing "fatigue as bad as you can imagine". Scores are then categorized as mild (1-3), moderate (4-6), and severe (7-10). The global BFI score is calculated as the average of all items, and a score of 7 or greater is considered clinically significant.
Change in Level of Fatigue up to Week 24
Time frame: Baseline up to week 24
Self-reported on the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI). The Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) uses a scale of 0 to 10 for each item, with 0 representing "no fatigue" and 10 representing "fatigue as bad as you can imagine". Scores are then categorized as mild (1-3), moderate (4-6), and severe (7-10). The global BFI score is calculated as the average of all items, and a score of 7 or greater is considered clinically significant.

4 secondary outcomes

Change in Quality of Life at Week 6
Time frame: Baseline to week 6
Change in Quality of Life up to Week 24
Time frame: Baseline up to week 24
Change in Sleep Quality at Week 6
Time frame: Baseline to week 6
Change in Sleep Quality up to Week 24
Time frame: Baseline up to week 24

Results and safety

Results posted to the registry on 5 Feb 2026, as reported by the sponsor. Figures are copied from the record, not re-analysed. Full results on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Participant flow

Group	Started	Completed
Acupressure Plus Standard of Care	58	37
Sham Acupressure Plus Standard of Care	58	40
Standard of Care	55	46

Primary outcome: Change in Level of Fatigue at Week 6

Time frame: Baseline to week 6. Mean (95% Confidence Interval). Unit: mean score

Measure	Acupressure Plus Standard of Care n = 41	Sham Acupressure Plus Standard of Care n = 45	Standard of Care n = 51
Baseline	5.57 (5.09 to 6.06)	5.30 (4.81 to 5.79)	5.38 (4.91 to 5.85)
Week 6	3.52 (3.02 to 4.01)	4.06 (3.60 to 4.53)	4.96 (4.52 to 5.40)

Population analysed: evaluable patients at week 6

Primary outcome: Change in Level of Fatigue up to Week 24

Time frame: Baseline up to week 24. Mean (95% Confidence Interval). Unit: mean score

Measure	Acupressure Plus Standard of Care n = 37	Sham Acupressure Plus Standard of Care n = 40	Standard of Care n = 46
Baseline	5.57 (5.09 to 6.06)	5.30 (4.81 to 5.79)	5.38 (4.91 to 5.85)
Week 24	3.55 (2.81 to 4.29)	4.09 (3.36 to 4.82)	5.15 (4.63 to 5.68)

Population analysed: evaluable patients at 24 weeks

4 secondary outcomes are reported in the full results.

Adverse events

Time frame: All adverse event data (serious and non-serious) collected from the time of the initial study treatment administration through the follow up visit at week 6.. Other adverse events reported at 0% frequency or more

Group	Serious adverse events	Other adverse events	Deaths
Acupressure Plus Standard of Care	0 of 53 (0%)	0 of 53 (0%)	0 of 53
Sham Acupressure Plus Standard of Care	1 of 56 (1.8%)	1 of 56 (1.8%)	0 of 56
Standard of Care	0 of 51 (0%)	0 of 51 (0%)	0 of 51

Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…

Research links

Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 5 Feb 2026.
Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
Derived from this study: PubMed 41642626Zick SM, Chen D, Harris RE, Kruger G, Runyon A, Sen A, Snyder S, Pearce CL. Self-Acupressure for Fatigue in Patients Surviving Ovarian Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2026 Feb 2;9(2):e2556357. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.56357.
Derived from this study: PubMed 34119716Zick SM, Kruger G, Harte S, Sen A, Harris RE, Pearce CL. Acupressure for Cancer-fatigue in Ovarian Cancer Survivor (AcuOva) Study: A community-based clinical trial study protocol examining the impact of self-acupressure on persistent cancer-related fatigue in ovarian cancer survivors. Contemp Clin Trials. 2021 Aug;107:106477. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2021.106477. Epub 2021 Jun 10.
Individual participant dataSharing planned: No

Related trials for Fatigue

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Referral and contact

AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.

Suzanna M Zick, ND, MPH principal investigator

University of Michigan

1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Acupressure in people with Fatigue and Ovarian Cancer, run by University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 5 Feb 2026). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change in Level of Fatigue at Week 6 (time frame: Baseline to week 6). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03763838, which also lists 2 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Feb 2026.