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Acupuncture for cancer related fatigue study

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Are you experiencing fatigue after your breast cancer treatment?

Cancer related fatigue effects 30 per cent of women and interferes with normal functioning and quality of life. Multiple treatments have been tried, however for many, fatigue remains. Recent research suggests acupuncture may reduce fatigue after cancer treatment.

Researchers at NICM Health Research Institute are currently recruiting participants to volunteer for a study investigating whether acupuncture can reduce cancer related fatigue following treatment. The aim of this study is to provide information to help inform in the design of a large, well-designed study of acupuncture to treat cancer related fatigue for women and men recovering from breast cancer.

Who can join?

  • Men and women aged over 18 years. 
    • Have been diagnosed with stage I, II, IIA, or III breast cancer.
    • Have completed surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy (one month to two years prior to study enrolment).
    • Are able to read and understand English.

What's involved?

Participants will be asked to:

  • Read the participant information sheet and provide consent.
  • After assessment, participants will be randomly allocated to acupuncture treatment or treatment as usual.
    • Participants allocated to acupuncture treatment will attend 10 acupuncture sessions (60 minutes each) over eight weeks at NICM Health Research Institute in Westmead, Sydney or at Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Camperdown, Sydney.
    • Participants not allocated to the acupuncture group will be invited to attend hospital programmes such as Living Well after Breast Cancer offered by Westmead Hospital. Your participation in programmes like this is voluntary and are not a necessary part of the trial. Participants in this group will have access to four free acupuncture treatments at Westmead at the completion of the study.
  • Complete a short questionnaire at the start and end of the study.

What are the benefits for participating?

  • Participants may experience an improvement in fatigue levels and general wellbeing.
  • Participants will be helping to advance medical research, which could assist in the development of effective treatments in the future for people with fatigue from cancer treatment.

If you have further questions, please contact:

Dr Suzanne Grant
NICM Health Research Institute, Chief Investigator
e.     s.grant@westernsydney.edu.au

Interested in participating?

For more details about this study please read the following information before deciding whether to participate or not.

Please complete and submit the following form.

Over the past few weeks have you been troubled by:

 

Human Research Ethics Committee Approval: This trial has been approved by Western Sydney University Human Research Ethics Committee (Approval Number: H13278) and the South Western Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee (Approval Number:  2019/ETH04253).

The study is supported by NICM Health Research Institute and Bankstown Hospital.

Principal Investigator: Dr Suzanne Grant, NICM Health Research Institute.

ACTRN12622000590763 (opens in a new window)