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Effects of Far Infrared Rays and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on Short Term Prognosis of Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Curative Treatment

NCT07689019 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 102

Last updated 2026-07-07

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This clinical trial aims to evaluate whether far infrared radiation therapy and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation can reduce treatment-related side effects in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

The primary objectives of this study are to determine whether far infrared radiation therapy and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation can improve shoulder pain and disability, cervical range of motion, maximum interincisal distance, oral mucositis, systemic inflammation, and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: Group A will receive standard care (control group); Group B will receive standard care plus transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation; and Group C will receive standard care plus far infrared radiation therapy combined with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.

The intervention will be administered over two cycles of concurrent chemoradiotherapy, for a total of 10 intervention days. During each treatment cycle, participants in the intervention groups will receive the assigned treatment once every morning and once every evening for five consecutive days. Outcome assessments will be performed at three time points during each treatment cycle: before the intervention on Day 1 (baseline), after the intervention on Day 3, and after the intervention on Day 5.

Conditions

  • Head and Neck Cancer (H&N)

Interventions

OTHER

Standard Care (in control arm)

Participants will receive standard care during concurrent chemoradiotherapy according to institutional practice. Standard care includes routine pre-treatment evaluation, radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy, post-radiotherapy cold compresses applied to the irradiated area three times daily, and standard supportive care during chemotherapy.

DEVICE

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation

Participants will receive transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation twice daily (morning and evening) for five consecutive days during each concurrent chemoradiotherapy cycle. Each treatment session will last 20 minutes. Self-adhesive electrode pads will be applied bilaterally to the Fengchi (GB20), Neiguan (PC6), and Hegu (LI4) acupoints.

DEVICE

Far-Infrared Therapy

Participants will receive far-infrared therapy twice daily (morning and evening) for five consecutive days during each concurrent chemoradiotherapy cycle. Each treatment session will last 30 minutes. Participants will be placed in a supine position with the dorsum of both feet exposed. Far-infrared irradiation will be applied bilaterally to the Taichong (LR3) acupoints, with the radiator positioned approximately 20 cm above the treatment sites.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
30 Years
Max Age
85 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2024-05-15
Primary Completion
2026-12-31
Completion
2026-12-31

Countries

  • Taiwan

Study Locations

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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 NCT07689019 on ClinicalTrials.gov