Actively Recruiting
Acupressure for Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Acupressure Intervention for Patients Receiving Cancer-Directed Therapy
Led by Mayo Clinic · Updated on 2026-05-28
78
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
N/A
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Researchers are evaluating acupressure as a way to reduce anxiety related to chemotherapy in patients with cancer. Anxiety can worsen symptoms like nausea and lower quality of life, and some patients prefer non-medicine approaches. This trial compares true acupressure with sham (placebo) acupressure to understand its effect on anxiety during cancer-directed therapy. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups: one receives true acupressure for 10 minutes during the study, and the other receives sham acupressure for the same duration. Patients in both groups can choose to learn how to do acupressure on themselves at home, with instructions to perform self-acupressure sessions twice daily for seven days. Throughout the study, participants complete questionnaires before and after the intervention to measure anxiety levels and related symptoms. The main outcome is the change in acute anxiety over up to two weeks. Researchers also assess nausea and the effectiveness of self-administered acupressure. The study includes monitoring the associations between anxiety changes and patient characteristics, with all activities carried out during the treatment period and short-term follow-up.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Acupressure for the Reduction of Anxiety in Patients Receiving Cancer-Directed Therapy
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Age 18 years or older
- Diagnosed with cancer
- Undergoing systemic, antineoplastic (cancer-directed) therapy
- Able to provide oral consent
- Willing to undergo nurse-led acupressure intervention
- Able and willing to complete pre- and post-intervention questionnaires in English
- Report acute anxiety level of 5 or higher on a 0 to 10 scale
- For self-administration group: experience two or more anxiety episodes per day at home
- Interested in learning self-administered acupressure
You will not qualify if you...
- Prior experience with acupressure or training in acupressure points
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Your Study Journey
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - 7 days
Participants undergo a nurse-applied acupressure intervention lasting about 10 minutes on study. Those interested may learn self-administered acupressure and perform sessions at home at least twice daily for seven days.
1 in-person treatment visit plus at-home self-administration twice daily
Duration - Up to 2 weeks
Participants complete pre- and post-intervention questionnaires assessing changes in anxiety and related symptoms over two weeks.
1 follow-up visit (in-person or remote) plus symptom assessments
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 55905
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
C
Clinical Trials Referral Office
J
Jennifer Manggaard
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
SINGLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Number of Arms
2
Similar Trials
Frequently Asked Questions
Have more questions? Get in touch with our team for quick support
Not the Right Trial for You?
Explore thousands of other clinical trials that might be a better match.
Sign up to get personalized trial recommendations delivered to your inbox.
Already have an account? Log in here