Acupuncture for Women's Health Conditions

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)50 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of acupuncture in treating women's health conditions.

This trial comprises three studies. In the first two studies, women will be randomly assigned to receive either real or sham acupuncture therapy. Study 1 will include women with various forms of cancer. White blood cell counts will be used to assess the effects of acupuncture on participants' immune responses. Study 2 will include women with unspecified pelvic pain and endometriosis; a self-report pain scale will be used to assess the effects of acupuncture on participants' symptoms. Study 3 will evaluate the validity and reliability of diagnoses made by Chinese medicine practitioners. In this study, a group of Chinese medicine practitioners will diagnose the same group of patients; consistency of the diagnoses will be evaluated.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Ovarian Neoplasms Endometriosis Pelvic Pain Uterine Neoplasms

Interventions

Chinese AcupuncturePROCEDURE

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria for Study 1: * Newly diagnosed ovarian cancer; primary peritoneal cancer; papillary serous cancer of the endometrium; or mixed mesodermal tumor of the uterus, ovary, or fallopian tube * Currently undergoing chemotherapy * Meet certain laboratory test requirements Inclusion Criteria for Study 2: Currently closed to recruitment * Diagnosed with endometriosis or unspecified pelvic pain Exclusion Criteria for Studies 1 and 2: * Use of white blood cell boosters * Prior radiotherapy with the exception of whole-breast irradiation for breast cancer * Prior myelotoxic chemotherapy * History of symptomatic cardiac or psychiatric disorder * Use of a pacemaker * Use of herbs or herbal supplements * Prior use of acupuncture * Enrollment in other research studies

Locations (1)

Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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