Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Summary

This is a sham-controlled, patient and assessor-blinded pilot trial to evaluate the feasibility of administering EA as an intervention for symptom clusters in cancer patients and survivors, and to evaluate the degree that EA could reduce symptom clusters and the possible underlying mechanisms through examining its influence on biomarkers that are linked with the symptoms. Participants will be randomized to either the treatment arm (those who will receive EA) or the control arm (those who will receive sham-EA). The treatment period for both groups will be 10 weeks. There will be one study visit a week over the course of the 10-week treatment period, for a total of 10 study treatment visits. Participants in the treatment arm will receive EA at 13 standardized acu-points that have been chosen for their therapeutic effects. Participants in the control arm will receive electrical stimulation at non-disease acu-points. There will be four data collection time points for each participant: (1) baseline, (2) mid-treatment (5 weeks from baseline), (3) end of treatment (10 weeks from baseline), and (4) 4 weeks after end of treatment (14 weeks from baseline). At each of these timepoints, 10mL of peripheral blood will be collected for a biomarker analysis and participants will be asked to complete 4 questionnaires and a computerized cognitive test to evaluate their cognitive function, fatigue level, insomnia, psychological distress, and quality of life. An optional neuroimaging procedure will be available to all eligible participants. In total, study participation will last for 14 weeks.


Clinical Trial Description

The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy, safety, and feasibility of offering electroacupuncture as an intervention to improve cancer-related symptoms (cognitive impairment, fatigue, psychological distress and insomnia) and quality of life among cancer patients and survivors receiving care at UCI Health. In addition, changes in biomarkers (plasma BDNF, pro-inflammatory cytokines and mitochondrial DNA) known to be associated with cancer-related symptoms. We hypothesize that EA is an effective, safe, and feasible intervention for cancer patients and survivors. Our specific aims are as follows: - To compare the efficacy of EA versus sham-EA control in reducing cognitive toxicity, fatigue, psychological distress, insomnia, and to improve quality of life. - To evaluate the impact of EA versus sham-EA control on biomarkers, including circulating BDNF, pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-alpha), mitochondrial DNA (oxidative stress indicator). - To compare the reduction of structural (brain gray matter) and functional connectivity at the prefrontal, medial temporal, and parietal brain regions pre- and post-EA treatment. - To assess the safety and feasibility of administering EA to manage symptom clusters in cancer patients and survivors. - As the UCI MINDS C2C registry (UCI IRB Approval #: HS# 2015-2494) will be leveraged to recruit some patients, we will quantify the characteristics associated with non-response to our study advertisement among C2C registrants using C2C-collected data. ;


Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT05283577
Study type Interventional
Source University of California, Irvine
Contact Alexandre Chan, PharmD
Phone 1-949-824-8896
Email a.chan@uci.edu
Status Recruiting
Phase N/A
Start date April 15, 2022
Completion date December 2024

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Recruiting NCT05346796 - Survivorship Plan HEalth REcord (SPHERE) Implementation Trial N/A
Recruiting NCT05094804 - A Study of OR2805, a Monoclonal Antibody Targeting CD163, Alone and in Combination With Anticancer Agents Phase 1/Phase 2
Completed NCT04867850 - Effect of Behavioral Nudges on Serious Illness Conversation Documentation N/A
Enrolling by invitation NCT04086251 - Remote Electronic Patient Monitoring in Oncology Patients N/A
Completed NCT01285037 - A Study of LY2801653 in Advanced Cancer Phase 1
Completed NCT00680992 - Study of Denosumab in Subjects With Giant Cell Tumor of Bone Phase 2
Completed NCT00062842 - Study of Irinotecan on a Weekly Schedule in Children Phase 1
Active, not recruiting NCT04548063 - Consent Forms in Cancer Research: Examining the Effect of Length on Readability N/A
Completed NCT04337203 - Shared Healthcare Actions and Reflections Electronic Systems in Survivorship N/A
Recruiting NCT04349293 - Ex-vivo Evaluation of the Reactivity of the Immune Infiltrate of Cancers to Treatments With Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting the Immunomodulatory Pathways N/A
Terminated NCT02866851 - Feasibility Study of Monitoring by Web-application on Cytopenia Related to Chemotherapy N/A
Active, not recruiting NCT05304988 - Development and Validation of the EFT for Adolescents With Cancer
Completed NCT04448041 - CRANE Feasibility Study: Nutritional Intervention for Patients Undergoing Cancer Surgery in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Completed NCT00340522 - Childhood Cancer and Plexiform Neurofibroma Tissue Microarray for Molecular Target Screening and Clinical Drug Development
Recruiting NCT04843891 - Evaluation of PET Probe [64]Cu-Macrin in Cardiovascular Disease, Cancer and Sarcoidosis. Phase 1
Active, not recruiting NCT03844048 - An Extension Study of Venetoclax for Subjects Who Have Completed a Prior Venetoclax Clinical Trial Phase 3
Completed NCT03167372 - Pilot Comparison of N-of-1 Trials of Light Therapy N/A
Completed NCT03109041 - Initial Feasibility Study to Treat Resectable Pancreatic Cancer With a Planar LDR Source Phase 1
Terminated NCT01441115 - ECI301 and Radiation for Advanced or Metastatic Cancer Phase 1
Recruiting NCT06206785 - Resting Energy Expenditure in Palliative Cancer Patients