Efficacy of Acupuncture in Radiotherapy-induced Dysphagia in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

Acupuncture Clinical Trial

Official title: Efficacy of Acupuncture in Radiotherapy-induced Dysphagia in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

Purpose:

Rationale: Acupuncture is a therapy for physical activity disorders secondary to nervous diseases, and it may have therapeutic effects on dysphagia caused by radiation therapy.

Purpose: This randomized trial aims to investigate whether acupuncture may alleviate radiation-induced dysphagia in patients with head and neck cancer. The effect was compared with outcomes in patients without receiving acupuncture.

Clinical Trial Description

OBJECTIVE

Primary:

To determine the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture on radiotherapy-induced dysphagia in patients with head and neck cancer.

Secondary:

1. To determine whether acupuncture can improve swallow function in these patients.

2. To determine what extent acupuncture can improve the complications of dysphagia of these patients, including the incidence of aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition.

3. To determine what extent this traditional Chinese therapy can improve quality of life of these patients.

4. To evaluate the safety of acupuncture in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized study. Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

Arm I: Patients receive acupuncture for 30 minutes per day for up to 20 sessions (over 4 weeks). These patients also received corticosteroid for 4 weeks, methylprednisolone 80mg ivdrip. for 3 days, 60mg ivdrip. for 3 days, 40mg ivdrip. for 3 days, 30mg po. for 7 days, 20mg po. for 7 days, 10mg po. for 5 days and maintain. Patients undergo VFSS before, at end of therapy (week 4) and 3 months (week 16) after therapy. Swallowing function, outcomes of dysphagia, including incidence of aspiration pneumonia, nutritional status change, and QOL change are assessed at baseline, week 4 and week 16.

Arm Ⅱ: Patients receive corticosteroid only, and the use of corticosteroid is the same with Arm I. Patients undergo VFSS before, at end of therapy (week 4) and 3 months (week 16) after therapy. Swallowing function, outcomes of dysphagia, including incidence of aspiration pneumonia, nutritional status change, and QOL change are assessed at baseline, week 4 and week 16. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Acupuncture
• Deglutition Disorders
• Head and Neck Neoplasms

• NCT number: NCT03336775
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University
• Contact: Yamei Tang
• Phone: +862034070569
• Email: yameitang@hotmail.com
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: June 21, 2018
• Completion date: July 30, 2020