Acupuncture to Improve Quality of Life in Patients With Advanced Cancer

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study will test the feasibility of acupuncture as a complementary therapy for advanced cancer by comparing symptoms and quality of life before and after 8 weeks of acupuncture treatments.

Detailed Description
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A large percentage of the practice and use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the United States is focused on cancer. Whether the CAM use is aimed at reducing one's risk of developing cancer or improving the quality of life of a cancer patient during treatment or at the end of life, the public focus on CAM and cancer has created a driving force for cancer centers to address the efficacy and science of these methods. Currently, the majority of cancer patients do not receive adequate palliative care. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in the treatment of pain and nausea and has also been shown to improve one's general well-being. Acupuncture also has some effectiveness in relieving symptoms of anxiety and depression. This study will evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture by Traditional Chinese Medicine clinicians to address the quality of life and symptoms of patients with incurable cancer. Women with recurrent metastatic ovarian cancer and similar patients with advanced cancer who are ambulatory and receiving conventional palliative care will be enrolled in this study. Patients will continue to receive high-quality, conventional clinical interventions, including chemotherapy and pain and symptom reduction programs. Patients will also receive 8 weeks of acupuncture. Evaluation tools such as Satisfaction with Life Domains Scale for Cancer (SLDS-C), Brief Pain Inventory, and Rotterdam Symptom Check List will be used to assess the acupuncture intervention.

Official Title
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Effects of Acupuncture on Pain, Nausea, Quality of Life

Conditions
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Ovarian Cancer

Intervention / Treatment
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* Procedure: Acupuncture


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria Advanced cancer patients, primarily ovarian cancer patients Undergoing palliative care treatment Ambulatory Symptomatic with pain, nausea, and/or an inadequate quality of life Platelets > 25,000/mm3 ANC > 500 cells/mm3 Exclusion Criteria Acupuncture treatment during the 6 months prior to study entry History of bleeding disorder, such as hemophilia or von Willebrand disease Acute psychosis

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 21 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Procedure: Acupuncture|nan|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Acupuncture, Quality of Life, Complementary Therapies, TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine