Acupressure and Acustimulation Wrist Bands for the Prevention of Nausea and Vomiting Caused by Chemotherapy

A Randomized Phase II Trial of Acupressure and Acustimulation Wrist Bands for the Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting

RATIONALE: Pressure or nerve stimulation applied to an acupuncture point on the inside of the wrist may help control nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to study the effectiveness of acupressure and acustimulation wrist bands in treating nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Unspecified Adult Solid Tumor, Protocol Specific; Nausea and Vomiting
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: quality-of-life assessment; Drug: dolasetron mesylate; Drug: granisetron hydrochloride; Drug: ondansetron; Drug: tropisetron

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the efficacy of acupressure and acustimulation as adjuncts to standard serotonin antiemetics in reducing acute nausea (day of treatment) and delayed nausea (1-4 days following treatment) associated with cisplatin or doxorubicin based chemotherapy in cancer patients. II. Evaluate the efficacy of acupressure and acustimulation in reducing acute and delayed vomiting and in improving quality of life in cancer patients. III. Investigate the relationship between expectations for the development of chemotherapy-related nausea/vomiting and its actual occurrence in cancer patients.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized study. Patients are stratified according to chemotherapy agent and research site. Patients are randomized to one of three treatment arms. Arm I: Patients receive standard antiemetic therapy with serotonin receptor antagonists. Arm II: Patients receive standard antiemetic therapy with serotonin receptor antagonists and wear an acupressure wrist band (an elastic band equipped with a small plastic button used to apply pressure to a specific point on the wrist) continuously for 5 consecutive days except when necessary to avoid immersion in water. Patients may wear the band on either wrist, including alternating between wrists if desired. Arm III: Patients receive standard antiemetic therapy with serotonin receptor antagonists and wear an acustimulation wrist band (a portable transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) device) continuously for 5 consecutive days except when necessary to avoid immersion in water. Patients may wear the band on either wrist, including alternating between wrists if desired, and may adjust the intensity of stimulation for optimum effectiveness. All patients complete a questionnaire concerning expectations of nausea and other side effects prior to receiving chemotherapy with cisplatin and doxorubicin. Patients in arms II and III complete this measure after the wrist band is in position. All patients complete a questionnaire and a 5 day diary at home concerning nausea and emesis following the first chemotherapy treatment, and then complete a quality of life questionnaire on the fourth day following treatment.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 700 patients will be accrued for this study over 3 years.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 700
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • New Jersey
    • Hackensack, New Jersey, United States, 07601
      • Hackensack University Medical Center
  • New York
    • Rochester, New York, United States, 14642
      • University of Rochester Cancer Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 120 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Diagnosis of cancer No symptomatic brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Not specified Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Not specified Cardiovascular: No cardiac pacemaker Other: No clinical evidence of current or impending bowel obstruction Able to understand English

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: No concurrent interferon Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy Concurrent cisplatin or doxorubicin based chemotherapy required No multiple day doses of cisplatin, doxorubicin, hexamethylmelamine, dacarbazine, nitrosourea or streptozocin Other concurrent chemotherapy allowed on 1 or multiple days Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: Not specified Other: Serotonin receptor antagonist antiemetic (ondansetron, granisetron, tropisetron, or dolasetron mesylate) required

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Gary Morrow
• Collaborators: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Investigators: Study Chair: Gary R. Morrow, PhD, MS, James P. Wilmot Cancer Center

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Roscoe JA, Morrow GR, Hickok JT, Bushunow P, Pierce HI, Flynn PJ, Kirshner JJ, Moore DF, Atkins JN. The efficacy of acupressure and acustimulation wrist bands for the relief of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. A University of Rochester Cancer Center Community Clinical Oncology Program multicenter study. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2003 Aug;26(2):731-42. doi: 10.1016/s0885-3924(03)00254-9.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 1999
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 1, 2001
• Study Completion (Actual): July 1, 2001

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 1, 1999
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 22, 2004
• First Posted (Estimate): March 23, 2004

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): October 15, 2015
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 13, 2015
• Last Verified: October 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: unspecified adult solid tumor, protocol specific; nausea and vomiting
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Signs and Symptoms, Digestive; Nausea; Vomiting; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Neurotransmitter Agents; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Central Nervous System Depressants; Autonomic Agents; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Antiemetics; Gastrointestinal Agents; Dermatologic Agents; Antipsychotic Agents; Tranquilizing Agents; Psychotropic Drugs; Serotonin Agents; Serotonin Antagonists; Anti-Anxiety Agents; Serotonin 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists; Antipruritics; Granisetron; Ondansetron; Tropisetron; Dolasetron
• Other Study ID Numbers: CDR0000066969; URCC-U3997; NCI-V99-1528