Trial purpose
Side effect and wellbeing
Tumor type
Multi-Cancer
Age
18+
Trial acronym
Cancer PAIN Trial
Clinical summary
Summary
You may be eligible for this study if you are an adulta ged 18 years or older, you have been diagnosed with advanced cancer (treatment is no longer being curative) and you have been experiencing pain related to your cancer.
All participants who choose to enrol in this study will be offered a short course of acupuncture treatmetns. Twice weekly 30 minute sessions will be provided by a registered acupuncturist over a 4 week period. Participants will be asked to rate their pain after each treatment session and may be asked to complete an exit interview at the end of the study.
It is hoped this research will demonstrate that a short course of acupuncture can be practically delivered to patients with advanced cancer. If this initial study indicates that acupuncture is able to decrease pain, a larger study enrolling a greater number of patients may be undertaken in future.
Conditions
This trial is treating people with advanced cancer who are experiencing pain related to the cancer
Eligibility
Inclusion
A. Age 18 years or older
B. Advanced cancer (histological or clinical diagnosis) defined by intent of treatment no longer being curative
C. Experiencing pain related to the cancer
D. Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form average pain score equal to or greater than 4 in the previous 24 hours
E. Capable of completing assessments and complying with the study
Exclusion
A. Participant currently or within 4 weeks of receiving acupuncture
B. Clinician predicted survival less than 8 weeks
C. Participant planned to receive radiotherapy to a site of pain during the acupuncture treatment study period, or who have received radiotherapy to a site of pain within 2 weeks before study entry
D. Participants commencing a new line of chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy or targeted therapy within 2 weeks prior to study entry
E. Participant with cellulitis, lymphoedema or disruption to skin integrity in the acupuncture treatment region
F. Participant with cutaneous/ subcutaneous malignancy at site of treatment
G. Participant with moderate or severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count <50 x109/L)
H. Patients requiring more than 6 doses of breakthrough immediate release opioid per day
Inclusion
- You have had treatment, but your cancer has come back (relapsed or recurrent).
- Your cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic) or has grown into nearby parts of the body (locally advanced).
- Your cancer has not spread to other parts of the body, but it is not possible to perform surgery to remove it (unresectable).
- You have the type of cancer, symptoms, or health risks that this clinical trial is focused on.
Exclusion
- You have certain types of non-cancer medical conditions.
- You have had certain treatments, surgical procedures or drugs.
Clinical trials have complex eligibility criteria, and other criteria may apply for this trial. Ask your doctor about whether this trial could be right for you.
More information
Trial Identifiers
Information on this page is partially produced from ANZCTR *. View further details about this trial on the registry via the links below:
Trial sponsor
Cancer Symptom Trials at University of Technology, Sydney
Scientific Title
An Open Label Single-arm Feasibility Study of Acupuncture for Pain in Patients with Advanced Cancer
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