Acupressure for Cough in Lung Cancer Survivors

NCT ID: NCT07315672

Last Updated: 2026-01-09

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

80 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2026-01-31

Study Completion Date

2026-12-31

Brief Summary

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The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to examine the effect of an acupressure intervention in alleviating cough and reducing co-occurring symptoms (dyspnea, cough, and fatigue) in patients with lung cancer.

The hypotheses are:

1. Acupressure can alleviate cough in lung cancer survivors;
2. Acupressure can reduce a cough-related symptom cluster (dyspnea-cough-fatigue) experienced by lung cancer survivors;
3. Acupressure can reduce the symptom burden and improve the health-related quality of life and functional capacity of lung cancer survivors experiencing cough.

Participants will:

Receive acupressure for 8 weeks or receive an education booklet; Keep a diary of their acupressure practice and symptoms; Be assessed at baseline (T0), early intervention (T1), post-intervention (T2), and 8 weeks after the intervention period (T3).

Detailed Description

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Lung cancer survivors often exhibit multiple symptoms, among which cough and its co-occurring symptoms have been identified as a group of prevalent and persistent symptoms that substantially impact their quality of life and overall survival. Research has identified cough as the sentinel symptom of the respiratory symptom cluster in lung cancer patients, underscoring the critical need for effective management strategies. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of a safe and self-administerable acupressure intervention on alleviating cough, reducing the dyspnea-cough-fatigue symptom cluster, and improving symptom burden, functional capacity, and quality of life in this patient population.

Conditions

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Lung Cancer (Diagnosis) Acupressure Coughing Symptom Cluster

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Acupressure

Participants will receive an 8-week acupressure intervention. After completing two hospital training sessions, the participants will perform acupressure every day for eight consecutive weeks in their daily activities following an evidence-based acupressure protocol, which will be developed based on the Chinese meridian theory, expert consensus and a comprehensive literature review of previous evidence on LC cough management. In the first week, two training sessions will be conducted to ensure the competency of the participants in performing acupressure. Afterwards, participants will be instructed to press each of the 15 designated acupoints until they experience sensations of soreness, numbness or distension, for 1 minute per time, at least two prescribed times daily (once between 9-11 am and once between 5-7 pm), and additionally during cough episodes, wherever they feel appropriate.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

acupressure

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will perform acupressure for 8 weeks and keep practice records in a diary log. Trainers will follow up with the participants twice weekly via phone or face-to-face to assess and reinforce their practice and address acupressure-related questions.

Education

Participants will receive an educational booklet that includes information on the disease and treatments of LC, causes and consequences of cough, and advice on cough prevention and management.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Education

Intervention Type OTHER

Participants will receive an educational booklet in the first week after the baseline assessment and complete evaluations concurrently with the experimental group. Upon study completion, they will be offered a place on a waitlist for the same acupressure intervention provided to the experimental group.

Interventions

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acupressure

Participants will perform acupressure for 8 weeks and keep practice records in a diary log. Trainers will follow up with the participants twice weekly via phone or face-to-face to assess and reinforce their practice and address acupressure-related questions.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Education

Participants will receive an educational booklet in the first week after the baseline assessment and complete evaluations concurrently with the experimental group. Upon study completion, they will be offered a place on a waitlist for the same acupressure intervention provided to the experimental group.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* be at least 18 years of age;
* have a diagnosis of LC at any stage and of any pathological type;
* have a cough symptom rating ≥3 on a 0 to 10 numeric rating scale within 7 days preceding enrollment;
* can perform acupressure independently in daily activities;
* be able to read Chinese and communicate in Cantonese or Mandarin;
* be able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

* have unstable chronic diseases other than LC;
* have received acupressure or acupuncture within the three months preceding study enrollment;
* have serious illnesses or other conditions that prevent the participants from following the intervention protocols;
* have a life expectancy of less than 3 months;
* Be currently participating in other research programs that may affect the outcomes under investigation.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

The University of Hong Kong

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Cheung Shuk-Ting

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Denise Shuk Ting Cheung, PhD

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

The University of Hong Kong

Locations

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University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital

Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

Site Status

Queen Mary Hospital

Hong Kong, , Hong Kong

Site Status

Countries

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China Hong Kong

Central Contacts

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Mengyao Cao

Role: CONTACT

+852-96733602

Facility Contacts

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Xian Chen

Role: primary

+86 13728867748

Mengyao Cao

Role: primary

+852-96733602

Role: backup

References

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Luo Y, Luo J, Su Q, Yang Z, Miao J, Zhang L. Exploring Central and Bridge Symptoms in Patients with Lung Cancer: A Network Analysis. Semin Oncol Nurs. 2024 Jun;40(3):151651. doi: 10.1016/j.soncn.2024.151651. Epub 2024 May 3.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 38704342 (View on PubMed)

Huang WX, Xu H, Fazio SD, Vivilecchia RV. Enhancement of chiral recognition by formation of a sandwiched complex in capillary electrophoresis. J Chromatogr A. 2000 Apr 14;875(1-2):361-9. doi: 10.1016/s0021-9673(99)01166-8.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 10839156 (View on PubMed)

Yang X, Bai J, Zhang J, Wang Y, Zhao H, Zhu X. Symptom clusters and their impacts on the quality of life of patients with lung cancer receiving immunotherapy: A cross-sectional study. J Clin Nurs. 2025 May;34(5):1725-1740. doi: 10.1111/jocn.17321. Epub 2024 Jun 17.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 38886988 (View on PubMed)

Takemura N, Yorke J. Respiratory symptom cluster in people with lung cancer. Curr Opin Support Palliat Care. 2025 Jun 1;19(2):71-76. doi: 10.1097/SPC.0000000000000754. Epub 2025 Mar 19.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 40265563 (View on PubMed)

Molassiotis A, Vu DV, Ching SSY. The Effectiveness of Qigong in Managing a Cluster of Symptoms (Breathlessness-Fatigue-Anxiety) in Patients with Lung Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Integr Cancer Ther. 2021 Jan-Dec;20:15347354211008253. doi: 10.1177/15347354211008253.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 33847150 (View on PubMed)

Yorke J, Johnson MJ, Punnett G, Smith J, Blackhall F, Lloyd Williams M, Mackereth P, Haines J, Ryder D, Krishan A, Davies L, Khan A, Molassiotis A. Respiratory distress symptom intervention for non-pharmacological management of the lung cancer breathlessness-cough-fatigue symptom cluster: randomised controlled trial. BMJ Support Palliat Care. 2024 Jan 8;13(e3):e1181-e1190. doi: 10.1136/spcare-2022-003924.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 36283797 (View on PubMed)

Karlsson K, Olsson C, Erlandsson A, Ahlberg KM, Larsson M. Exploring Symptom Clusters and Their Measurements in Patients With Lung Cancer: A Scoping Review for Practice and Research. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2023 Oct 19;50(6):783-815. doi: 10.1188/23.ONF.783-815.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 37874760 (View on PubMed)

Cheville AL, Novotny PJ, Sloan JA, Basford JR, Wampfler JA, Garces YI, Jatoi A, Yang P. The value of a symptom cluster of fatigue, dyspnea, and cough in predicting clinical outcomes in lung cancer survivors. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2011 Aug;42(2):213-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2010.11.005. Epub 2011 Mar 12.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 21398089 (View on PubMed)

Molassiotis A, Lowe M, Blackhall F, Lorigan P. A qualitative exploration of a respiratory distress symptom cluster in lung cancer: cough, breathlessness and fatigue. Lung Cancer. 2011 Jan;71(1):94-102. doi: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2010.04.002. Epub 2010 May 2.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 20439127 (View on PubMed)

Li Y, Wang Q, Liu C, Hu X. Symptom clusters and their impact on quality of life among Chinese patients with lung cancer: A cross-sectional study. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2023 Dec;67:102465. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2023.102465. Epub 2023 Nov 7.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 37956567 (View on PubMed)

Chen K, Yang D, Li F, Gao L, Tian Y, Xu B, Xu X, Xu Q, Cao J. Changes in the symptom clusters of elderly patients with lung cancer over the course of postoperative rehabilitation and their correlation with frailty and quality of life: A longitudinal study. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2023 Dec;67:102388. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2023.102388. Epub 2023 Jul 24.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 37948789 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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UW24615

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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