Electroacupuncture on Treating Cancer-related Depression

Summary

Cancer-related depression (CRD) is a common psychological condition among cancer patients during diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, and is associated with reduced quality of life, impaired immune function, and poorer clinical outcomes. As cancer incidence and mortality continue to rise in China, the psychological burden on patients is receiving increasing attention. Electroacupuncture (EA) has shown potential in treating various types of depression and related somatic symptoms, but evidence regarding its efficacy, safety, and long-term effects in CRD remains limited. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the short- and long-term efficacy and safety of EA for CRD, with the goal of providing evidence to support effective and optimized treatment strategies.

Conditions

• Depression
• Cancer

Interventions

DEVICE

Electroacupuncture treatment

Participants in this group will receive electroacupuncture (EA) based on a semi-standardized protocol. Each treatment session will involve needling at six main acupoints and two supplementary points, selected based on individual symptoms. * Main acupoints: Baihui (GV20), Yintang (EX-HN3), Guanyuan (CV4), Qihai (CV6), bilateral Zusanli (ST36), bilateral Sanyinjiao (SP6). * Supplementary acupoints: Selected from Shenting (GV24), Sishencong (EX-HN1), Fengchi (GB20), Neiguan (PC6), Hegu (LI4), Shenmen (HT7), Yanglingquan (GB34), Taixi (KI3), and Taichong (LR3). All patients will be placed in the supine position. After routine disinfection of all acupoints using 75% alcohol, needles will be inserted using a gentle tapping technique. Once Deqi sensation is achieved, three pairs of electrodes from an EA device will be connected to the handles of the needles at Baihui and Yintang, and bilaterally at Zusanli and Sanyinjiao. Each treatment session will last for 30 minutes.

OTHER

Superficial acupuncture at Non-Acupoints

Participants in this group will receive superficial acupuncture at six pseudo-acupoints that do not correspond to any recognized meridian or traditional acupoint. These points are anatomically matched in location (head, upper limbs, lower limbs, and trunk) to the main acupoints used in the EA group but are located at non-meridian, non-acupoint sites in a horizontal position. Acupuncture needles will be connected to an electroacupuncture device with broken wires and thus no electrical stimulation is actually delivered. All patients will be placed in a supine position. After routine disinfection of the selected sites using 75% alcohol, sterile disposable filiform needles (0.22 × 25 mm) will be lightly inserted to a depth of approximately 3 mm without requiring deqi. The needles will be applied using a gentle tapping technique at non-meridian, non-acupoint locations. The needle will be retained for 30 minutes. The session frequency and total treatment course will match the EA group.

OTHER

Standard care

All participants, regardless of group assignment, will receive standard care as part of routine oncological and psychological management. Standard care includes: * Basic psychological support: General psychological counseling or emotional support provided by nursing staff or clinical psychologists as needed, without structured psychotherapy or pharmacological antidepressant interventions unless clinically indicated. * Health education: Guidance on sleep hygiene, nutrition, and stress management, along with education about cancer-related emotional symptoms and coping strategies. * Medication management: Participants will continue their current medications for chronic comorbidities (e.g., antihypertensives, antidiabetics) as previously prescribed. However, cancer-related medications associated with active treatment-such as chemotherapy, targeted therapies, immunotherapy, or hormonal therapy-will be excluded during the trial period to avoid confounding effects.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Shifen Xu, Doctor · SHMTCM's Acupuncture Department

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

75 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-07-01

Primary Completion

2026-12-31

Completion

2027-07-01

Countries

• China

Study Locations