Clinical Trial: Acupuncture for Neck and Shoulder Pain Following Neck Surgery in Cancer Patients


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Acupuncture for Neck and Shoulder Pain Following Neck Surgery in Cancer Patients

This study is currently recruiting patients.

Sponsored by:	National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Information provided by:	National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine whether acupuncture therapy reduces neck and shoulder pain in patients who have undergone neck dissection surgery for the treatment of head and neck cancer.

Condition	Treatment or Intervention	Phase
Head and Neck Neoplasms Neck Pain Shoulder Pain	Procedure: Acupuncture	Phase III

Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Treatment, Randomized, Open Label, Active Control, Parallel Assignment, Efficacy Study

Official Title: Acupuncture for Pain and Dysfunction Following Neck Dissection: A Randomized, Controlled Phase III Trial

Further Study Details:

Expected Total Enrollment: 60

Study start: December 2003

Neck dissection is a common procedure for the treatment of head and neck cancer; unfortunately, patients often suffer from neck and shoulder pain following the procedure. Standard care for neck dissection pain consists of physical therapy exercises and the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Studies suggest that acupuncture may relieve pain caused by neck dissection. This study will determine the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy in relieving the pain of neck dissection patients.

Participants in this study will be randomly assigned to receive either acupuncture treatments once a week for 4 weeks or standard care. Self-report questionnaires and scales that measure pain, level of functioning, and overall quality of life will be used to assess participants. Participants assigned to the standard care group will be offered four treatments of acupuncture at the end of the study.

Eligibility

Genders Eligible for Study: Both

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Neck dissection for head and/or neck cancer at least 3 months prior to study entry
Moderate to severe pain and/or dysfunction in the neck and/or shoulders due to neck dissection
Radiotherapy treatment at least 3 months prior to study entry

Exclusion Criteria:

Acupuncture 6 weeks prior to study entry

Location and Contact Information

Terri Gray, MS 212-639-3305 grayt@mskcc.org
Cheryl Co 212-639-8610

New York
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, 10021, United States; Recruiting

David G. Pfister, MD, Principal Investigator
Barrie Cassileth, PhD, Sub-Investigator

Study chairs or principal investigators

David G. Pfister, MD, Principal Investigator, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Cancer

More Information

Study ID Numbers: 1-R21-CA098792-01
Record last reviewed: September 2004
Record first received: August 25, 2004
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00090337
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on 2004-11-17

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