2003-09
N/A
2005-09
60
NCT00136669
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
INTERVENTIONAL
Acupuncture For Pancreatic Cancer Pain
Pain is a common problem in patients with pancreatic cancer. Some patients suffer from pain despite medication. We, the researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, are conducting a Phase III study to determine the effects of acupuncture on pain in patients with pancreatic cancer. The purpose of a Phase III study is to determine whether or not a treatment is helpful. This study will include about 60 patients. Acupuncture is the insertion of very fine needles into the skin to treat symptoms. In recent years, researchers have found evidence that acupuncture is useful in treating a variety of conditions, including headache, nausea, and pain.
The main aim of this pancreatic cancer pain trial is to determine the effects of a single, practitioner-given acupuncture treatment followed by semi-permanent acupuncture studs. Our primary endpoint is subjective; therefore, a placebo control will be applied with patients blinded to treatment allocation. In clinical practice, acupuncturists individualize treatment: two patients with a similar conventional diagnosis may receive different point prescriptions depending on the acupuncture differential diagnosis. Randomized trials of acupuncture can either prescribe a fixed treatment formula in terms of the number of sessions and points to be used, or allow practitioners to exercise clinical judgment in individualizing care. There has been considerable debate in the methodological literature about the merits of each approach. The use of a fixed treatment schedule increases the reproducibility of the findings but is said, by practitioners, to generally reduce treatment effectiveness. In this trial, we have developed an approach that allows practitioners to individualize treatments in a manner that allows exact replication, by specifying particular point locations to be used depending on the sites where a patient experiences pain. Point locations for this and for all of our acupuncture studies are determined by our licensed, credentialled acupuncturists. Following accrual of the initial 10-15 patients, we will review treatment compliance, blinding and accrual. Adjustments will be made to deal with compliance issues, to facilitate placebo blinding, or deal with recruitment problems for the remainder of the study.
These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.
| Study Registration Dates | Results Reporting Dates | Study Record Updates |
|---|---|---|
2005-08-25 | N/A | 2006-09-07 |
2005-08-26 | N/A | 2006-09-08 |
2005-08-29 | N/A | 2006-09 |
This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
Primary Purpose:
Treatment
Allocation:
Randomized
Interventional Model:
Parallel
Masking:
Single
Arms and Interventions
| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|
| Primary Outcome Measures | Measure Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| To determine whether acupuncture reduces pain in pancreatic cancer patients more effectively than placebo | ||
| To determine the duration of acupuncture effects |
| Secondary Outcome Measures | Measure Description | Time Frame |
|---|
This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.
Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person’s general health condition or prior treatments.
Ages Eligible for Study:
ALL
Sexes Eligible for Study:
0 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.
The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.
General Publications
No publications available
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The information and services provided by the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation are for informational purposes only. The information and services are not intended to be substitutes for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. The National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation does not recommend nor endorse any specific physicians, products or treatments even though they may be mentioned on this site.
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