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Acupuncture as add-on to G-CSF for Febrile Neutropenia-related Hospitalization in Doxorubicin-treated Patients With Sarcoma

NCT06500715 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 60

Last updated 2026-04-29

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia (CIFN) is a dangerous complication of many chemotherapy drugs, with current treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSFs) accompanied by adverse effects, primarily muscle and bone pain. Adult patients with sarcoma treated with doxorubicin-based chemotherapy have a high risk (\>40%) for developing CIFN. Acupuncture has been shown to have a potentially myelo-protective effect on bone marrow during chemotherapy, though its effect on the incidence of CIFN-related hospitalization has yet to be examined. In the proposed study, patients with sarcoma will be randomly allocated (in a ratio of 1:1) to Group A, receiving acupuncture during cycles 1, 3, and 5; or Group B, during cycles 2, 4, and 6, with the study oncologist blinded regarding allocation. Acupuncture will be administered on the first day (d1) and the 8th day (d8) of the chemotherapy cycles, with press-tack needles on d1 to d8, and patients will be taught to self-treat with acupressure from d8 to the next cycle. The incidence and duration of hospitalization due to CIFN will be examined, as will adherence to the chemotherapy regimen; G-CSF-related pain; and other outcomes using 3 quality-of-life-focused questionnaires. The study findings will have important implications regarding the role of acupuncture in the treatment of patients treated with chemotherapy drugs with a high risk for CIFN, such as those used in the treatment of sarcoma.

Conditions

  • Febrile Neutropenia
  • Sarcoma
  • Doxorubicin Adverse Reaction
  • Hospitalization-Associated Infection

Interventions

DEVICE

Acupuncture

Acupuncture will be administered bilaterally on points PC6, LI 4, CV6, SP6, SP10 and ST36 on the first day of each cycle (d1), prior to administration of chemotherapy; and on d8, each session lasting between 30 to 45 minutes. Patients will continue from d1 to d8 with press-tack acupuncture needles on points PC 6, LI4, SP 6 and ST 36. On d8, patients will again undergo acupuncture, and continue with self-acupressure on the same points as the press-tack needles, until the next chemotherapy cycle.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Shaare Zedek Medical Center

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Noah Samuels, MD · Shaare Zeded Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Model
CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-12-01
Primary Completion
2028-12-31
Completion
2028-12-31

Countries

  • Israel

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06500715 on ClinicalTrials.gov