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Acupressure for Anxiety During Cancer Treatment

This study is looking at whether acupressure can help reduce anxiety in people with cancer who are receiving treatments like chemotherapy. Many cancer patients experience anxiety, which can worsen other symptoms like nausea. Acupressure involves applying gentle pressure to specific points on the body to promote well-being. This trial will compare true acupressure to "sham" (placebo) acupressure to see if it helps with anxiety. You can join if you are 18 or older, have cancer, are undergoing anti-cancer therapy, and are willing to try a nurse-led acupressure intervention. The main goal is to see how much anxiety changes within two weeks.

Study design
This is an interventional study with 78 planned participants, comparing true acupressure to sham acupressure. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups.
What's involved
You would undergo a 10-minute acupressure session. If you choose, you can also learn to do self-administered acupressure at home twice daily for seven days.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
The primary endpoint, change in acute anxiety, is measured up to two weeks.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT06723041

Acupressure for the Reduction of Anxiety in Patients Receiving Cancer-Directed Therapy

Recruiting
NAAges 18+InterventionalSupportive care
Mayo Clinic
~78 participants
Updated 2026-05-28 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Acupressure TherapyAcupressure Therapy - placeboAcupressure Therapy - self-administeredHealth Promotion and EducationSurvey Administration

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in acute anxiety
Measured over Up to 2 weeks

Conditions

Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System Neoplasm
Malignant Solid Neoplasm

Explore related trials

Hematologic NeoplasmSolid Neoplasm

NCT06723041

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Mayo Clinic in Rochester

    Rochester, Minnesotastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Study leadership

  • Elizabeth Cathcart-Rake, MD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Mayo Clinic in Rochester

Who to contact

Clinical Trials Referral Office
[email protected]
855-776-0015
Email the study team

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Age \>= 18 years and be diagnosed with cancer
NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Undergoing systemic, antineoplastic therapy
NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Ability to provide oral consent
NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Willingness to undergo a nurse-led acupressure intervention
NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Willingness and ability to complete pre- and post-intervention questionnaires in English
NURSE-LED INTERVENTION: Report acute anxiety as a 5 or higher on a scale for 0 (no anxiety) to 10 (severe anxiety)
SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Age \>= 18 years and be diagnosed with cancer
SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Undergoing systemic, antineoplastic therapy
SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Ability to provide oral consent
SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Willingness to undergo a nurse-led acupressure intervention
SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Willingness and ability to complete pre- and post-intervention questionnaires in English
SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Report acute anxiety as a 5 or higher on a scale for 0 (no anxiety) to 10 (severe anxiety)
SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Reports 2+/day anxiety episodes at home
SELF-ADMINISTRATION INTERVENTION: Interested in learning self-administered acupressure

Exclusion

Prior experiences with acupressure, or training in acupressure points

What this trial measures

  • Change in acute anxietyUp to 2 weeks

    Will be compared between treatment groups. This will be measured by changes in responses to a single item, "Please rate the following symptoms, based on how you feel at the current time (please indicate the one most correct response)," with responses provided on a Likert scale from 0 (no anxiety) to 10 (worst possible anxiety).