Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System NeoplasmNCT06723041
Acupressure for the Reduction of Anxiety in Patients Receiving Cancer-Directed Therapy
A study testing Acupressure Therapy, Acupressure Therapy - self-administered and Health Promotion and Education in people with Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System Neoplasm and Malignant Solid Neoplasm, run by Mayo Clinic at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This clinicaI trial is being done to determine if acupressure is helpful to reduce anxiety related to chemotherapy, compared with "sham" (or placebo) acupressure in patients with cancer. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System Neoplasm, Malignant Solid Neoplasm
- What is being tested?
- Acupressure Therapy, Acupressure Therapy - self-administered and Health Promotion and Education
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 78 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 11 Dec 2024to 31 Dec 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Age >= 18 years and be diagnosed with cancer
- NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Undergoing systemic, antineoplastic therapy
- NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Ability to provide oral consent
- NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Willingness to undergo a nurse-led acupressure intervention
- NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Willingness and ability to complete pre- and post-intervention questionnaires in English
- NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Report acute anxiety as a 5 or higher on a scale for 0 (no anxiety) to 10 (severe anxiety)
Show all 14Show fewer
- SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Age >= 18 years and be diagnosed with cancer
- SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Undergoing systemic, antineoplastic therapy
- SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Ability to provide oral consent
- SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Willingness to undergo a nurse-led acupressure intervention
- SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Willingness and ability to complete pre- and post-intervention questionnaires in English
- SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Report acute anxiety as a 5 or higher on a scale for 0 (no anxiety) to 10 (severe anxiety)
- SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Reports 2+/day anxiety episodes at home
- SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Interested in learning self-administered acupressure
Who cannot join
- Prior experiences with acupressure, or training in acupressure points
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota, 55905
Clinical Trials Referral Office, 855-776-0015, mayocliniccancerstudies@mayo.edu
Jennifer Manggaard, 507-255-7768, Manggaard.Jennifer@mayo.edu
About this study
Official title: Acupressure for Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Acupressure Intervention for Patients Receiving Cancer-Directed Therapy
This clinicaI trial is being done to determine if acupressure is helpful to reduce anxiety related to chemotherapy, compared with "sham" (or placebo) acupressure in patients with cancer. Anxiety, experienced by many patients with cancer, 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-medicine ways to manage symptoms. Acupressure is the application of non-invasive finger pressure along energy points throughout the body in order to relieve pain and induce a feeling of well-being. Previous research has shown that acupressure can help both adults and children with their anxiety in certain situations, such as after surgery. Patients can be taught how to do the acupressure on themselves, making this an intervention that can be done anywhere. Acupressure is well tolerated with minimal reports of adverse reactions. Undergoing acupressure may be effective in reducing anxiety in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.
Read the detailed description
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
- To test the efficacy of a nurse-applied acupressure intervention for anxiety associated with active cancer-directed therapy.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
- To test the efficacy of a patient-applied acupressure intervention for anxiety associated with active cancer-directed therapy.
II. To assess whether acupressure appears to improve nausea related to cancer and cancer-directed therapy.
OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.
ARM I: Patients undergo true acupressure over 10 minutes on study. Patients that choose to learn self-administration acupressure at home receive educational information and undergo self-administration acupressure sessions at least twice daily (BID) for seven days.
ARM II: Patients undergo sham acupressure over 10 minutes on study. Patients that choose to learn self-administration acupressure at home receive educational information and undergo self-administration acupressure sessions at least BID for seven days.
- Being tested
- Acupressure Therapy, Acupressure Therapy - placebo, Acupressure Therapy - self-administered, Health Promotion and Education, Survey Administration
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Acupressure TherapyProcedure or surgery
Also called Acupressure, Ischemic Compression
Undergo true acupressure
Acupressure Therapy - placeboProcedure or surgery
Also called Acupressure, Ischemic Compression
Undergo sham acupressure
Acupressure Therapy - self-administeredProcedure or surgery
Also called Acupressure, Ischemic Compression
Undergo self-administered acupressure
Health Promotion and EducationOther
Receive educational handouts
Survey AdministrationOther
Ancillary studies
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Arm I (true acupressure) | Experimental | Patients undergo true acupressure over 10 minutes on study. Patients that choose to learn self-administration acupressure at home receive educational information and undergo self-administration acupressure sessions at least BID for seven days. Receives: Procedure: Acupressure Therapy; Procedure: Acupressure Therapy - self-administered; Other: Health Promotion and Education; Other: Survey Administration |
| Arm II (sham acupressure) | Sham comparator | Patients undergo sham acupressure over 10 minutes on study. Patients that choose to learn self-administration acupressure at home receive educational information and undergo self-administration acupressure sessions at least BID for seven days. Receives: Procedure: Acupressure Therapy - placebo; Procedure: Acupressure Therapy - self-administered; Other: Health Promotion and Education; Other: Survey Administration |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in acute anxiety
Will be compared between treatment groups. This will be measured by changes in responses to a single item, "Please rate the following symptoms, based on how you feel at the current time (please indicate the one most correct response)," with responses provided on a Likert scale from 0 (no anxiety) to 10 (worst possible anxiety).
Measured: Up to 2 weeks
Secondary outcomes (3)
Associations between changes in anxiety and demographic variables
Demographic variables, including age, gender identity, race/ethnicity, cancer type, cancer stage, and cancer therapy type, will be compared with answers to anxiety question specified in Outcome 1.
Measured: Up to 2 weeks
Efficacy of self-administered acupressure
Assessed by the number of participants in each arm (true vs sham) who are willing to complete self-administered acupressure.
Measured: Up to 2 weeks
Changes in anxiety-related symptoms
Assessed using an anxiety questionnaire administered at baseline and post-intervention. Seven items (anxiety, nausea, pain, wellbeing, relaxation, worry, and distress) are rated on a scale of 0 (strongly disagree) to 10 (strongly agree).
Measured: Up to 2 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Dec 2024
- Study start11 Dec 2024
- Primary completion31 Dec 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System NeoplasmStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Mayo ClinicThe 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
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 78 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Mayo Clinic
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Elizabeth Cathcart-Rake, MD, Principal investigator, Mayo Clinic in Rochester
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06723041
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 24-007105
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 5 Dec 2024
- Last updated
- 28 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Acupressure for Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Acupressure Intervention for Patients Receiving Cancer-Directed Therapy
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06723041
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 24-007105
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 78 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Mayo ClinicUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 11 Dec 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 9 Dec 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This clinicaI trial is being done to determine if acupressure is helpful to reduce anxiety related to chemotherapy, compared with "sham" (or placebo) acupressure in patients with cancer. Anxiety, experienced by many patients with cancer, 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-medicine ways to manage symptoms. Acupressure is the application of non-invasive finger pressure along energy points throughout the body in order to relieve pain and induce a feeling of well-being. Previous research has shown that acupressure can help both adults and children with their anxiety in certain situations, such as after surgery. Patients can be taught how to do the acupressure on themselves, making this an intervention that can be done anywhere. Acupressure is well tolerated with minimal reports of adverse reactions. Undergoing acupressure may be effective in reducing anxiety in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.
Detailed description
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
- To test the efficacy of a nurse-applied acupressure intervention for anxiety associated with active cancer-directed therapy.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
- To test the efficacy of a patient-applied acupressure intervention for anxiety associated with active cancer-directed therapy.
II. To assess whether acupressure appears to improve nausea related to cancer and cancer-directed therapy.
OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.
ARM I: Patients undergo true acupressure over 10 minutes on study. Patients that choose to learn self-administration acupressure at home receive educational information and undergo self-administration acupressure sessions at least twice daily (BID) for seven days.
ARM II: Patients undergo sham acupressure over 10 minutes on study. Patients that choose to learn self-administration acupressure at home receive educational information and undergo self-administration acupressure sessions at least BID for seven days.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Arm I (true acupressure) | Experimental | Procedure: Acupressure Therapy, Procedure: Acupressure Therapy - self-administered, Other: Health Promotion and Education, Other: Survey AdministrationPatients undergo true acupressure over 10 minutes on study. Patients that choose to learn self-administration acupressure at home receive educational information and undergo self-administration acupressure sessions at least BID for seven days. |
| Arm II (sham acupressure) | Sham comparator | Procedure: Acupressure Therapy - placebo, Procedure: Acupressure Therapy - self-administered, Other: Health Promotion and Education, Other: Survey AdministrationPatients undergo sham acupressure over 10 minutes on study. Patients that choose to learn self-administration acupressure at home receive educational information and undergo self-administration acupressure sessions at least BID for seven days. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (14 listed)
- NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Age >= 18 years and be diagnosed with cancer
- NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Undergoing systemic, antineoplastic therapy
- NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Ability to provide oral consent
- NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Willingness to undergo a nurse-led acupressure intervention
- NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Willingness and ability to complete pre- and post-intervention questionnaires in English
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Prior experiences with acupressure, or training in acupressure points
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Acupressure TherapyAlso: Acupressure, Ischemic CompressionUndergo true acupressure | Procedure or surgery | Arm I (true acupressure) |
| Acupressure Therapy - placeboAlso: Acupressure, Ischemic CompressionUndergo sham acupressure | Procedure or surgery | Arm II (sham acupressure) |
| Acupressure Therapy - self-administeredAlso: Acupressure, Ischemic CompressionUndergo self-administered acupressure | Procedure or surgery | Arm I (true acupressure), Arm II (sham acupressure) |
| Health Promotion and EducationReceive educational handouts | Other | Arm I (true acupressure), Arm II (sham acupressure) |
| Survey AdministrationAncillary studies | Other | Arm I (true acupressure), Arm II (sham acupressure) |
Primary outcome
Change in acute anxiety
Time frame: Up to 2 weeks
Will be compared between treatment groups. This will be measured by changes in responses to a single item, "Please rate the following symptoms, based on how you feel at the current time (please indicate the one most correct response)," with responses provided on a Likert scale from 0 (no anxiety) to 10 (worst possible anxiety).
3 secondary outcomes
Associations between changes in anxiety and demographic variables
Time frame: Up to 2 weeks
Efficacy of self-administered acupressure
Time frame: Up to 2 weeks
Changes in anxiety-related symptoms
Time frame: Up to 2 weeks
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 28 May 2026.
- Mayo Clinic Clinical TrialsLink provided by the sponsor.
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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.
Elizabeth Cathcart-Rake, MD principal investigator
Mayo Clinic in Rochester
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 Therapy, Acupressure Therapy - self-administered and Health Promotion and Education in people with Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System Neoplasm and Malignant Solid Neoplasm, run by Mayo Clinic 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 14 inclusion and 1 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 May 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Clinical Trials Referral Office (855-776-0015, mayocliniccancerstudies@mayo.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in acute anxiety (time frame: Up to 2 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 28 May 2026.