Acupressure for Cough in Lung Cancer Survivors

NCT07315672 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: UW24615
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 80
• Locations: 2 countries
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to examine the effect of an acupressure intervention in alleviating cough and reducing co-occurring symptoms (dyspnea, cough, and fatigue) in patients with lung cancer. The hypotheses are:

1. 1.Acupressure can alleviate cough in lung cancer survivors;
2. 2.Acupressure can reduce a cough-related symptom cluster (dyspnea-cough-fatigue) experienced by lung cancer survivors;
3. 3.Acupressure can reduce the symptom burden and improve the health-related quality of life and functional capacity of lung cancer survivors experiencing cough.

Conditions

Acupressure; Lung Cancer (Diagnosis); Coughing; Symptom Cluster

Keywords

Acupressure; Cough; Lung Cancer; Dyspnea; Symptom Cluster; Symptom Burden; Fatigue; Quality of Life

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Cough

  The cough will be evaluated using the Cough Evaluation Test (CET). The 5-item instrument assesses cough under physical, psychological and social domains, with each item graded on a five-point scale, with a higher total score indicating a greater level of symptom and an MCID of 2 points.

  Pre-intervention (T0, baseline); Early intervention (T1, 1 week after T0); Post-intervention (T2, 8 weeks after T0); Follow-up (T3, 16 weeks after T0)

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Cough-related quality of life

  Pre-intervention (T0, baseline); Early intervention (T1, 1 week after T0); Post-intervention (T2, 8 weeks after T0); Follow-up (T3, 16 weeks after T0)

• Dyspnea-cough-fatigue symptom cluster

  Pre-intervention (T0, baseline); Early intervention (T1, 1 week after T0); Post-intervention (T2, 8 weeks after T0); Follow-up (T3, 16 weeks after T0)

• Dyspnea

  Pre-intervention (T0, baseline); Early intervention (T1, 1 week after T0); Post-intervention (T2, 8 weeks after T0); Follow-up (T3, 16 weeks after T0)

• Fatigue

  Pre-intervention (T0, baseline); Early intervention (T1, 1 week after T0); Post-intervention (T2, 8 weeks after T0); Follow-up (T3, 16 weeks after T0)

• Symptom burden

  Pre-intervention (T0, baseline); Early intervention (T1, 1 week after T0); Post-intervention (T2, 8 weeks after T0); Follow-up (T3, 16 weeks after T0)

Study Arms (2)

Acupressure

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive an 8-week acupressure intervention. After completing two hospital training sessions, the participants will perform acupressure every day for eight consecutive weeks in their daily activities following an evidence-based acupressure protocol, which will be developed based on the Chinese meridian theory, expert consensus and a comprehensive literature review of previous evidence on LC cough management. In the first week, two training sessions will be conducted to ensure the competency of the participants in performing acupressure. Afterwards, participants will be instructed to press each of the 15 designated acupoints until they experience sensations of soreness, numbness or distension, for 1 minute per time, at least two prescribed times daily (once between 9-11 am and once between 5-7 pm), and additionally during cough episodes, wherever they feel appropriate.

Behavioral: acupressure

Education

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will receive an educational booklet that includes information on the disease and treatments of LC, causes and consequences of cough, and advice on cough prevention and management.

Other: Education

Interventions

acupressure BEHAVIORAL

Participants will perform acupressure for 8 weeks and keep practice records in a diary log. Trainers will follow up with the participants twice weekly via phone or face-to-face to assess and reinforce their practice and address acupressure-related questions.

Acupressure

Education OTHER

Participants will receive an educational booklet in the first week after the baseline assessment and complete evaluations concurrently with the experimental group. Upon study completion, they will be offered a place on a waitlist for the same acupressure intervention provided to the experimental group.

Education

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• be at least 18 years of age;
• have a diagnosis of LC at any stage and of any pathological type;
• have a cough symptom rating ≥3 on a 0 to 10 numeric rating scale within 7 days preceding enrollment;
• can perform acupressure independently in daily activities;
• be able to read Chinese and communicate in Cantonese or Mandarin;
• be able to provide informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• have unstable chronic diseases other than LC;
• have received acupressure or acupuncture within the three months preceding study enrollment;
• have serious illnesses or other conditions that prevent the participants from following the intervention protocols;
• have a life expectancy of less than 3 months;
• Be currently participating in other research programs that may affect the outcomes under investigation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The University of Hong Kong: lead
• The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital: collaborator
• Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong: collaborator

Study Sites (2)

University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital

Shenzhen, Guangdong, 0755, China

RECRUITING

Queen Mary Hospital

Hong Kong, 0000, Hong Kong

NOT YET RECRUITING

Related Publications (11)

• Luo Y, Luo J, Su Q, Yang Z, Miao J, Zhang L. Exploring Central and Bridge Symptoms in Patients with Lung Cancer: A Network Analysis. Semin Oncol Nurs. 2024 Jun;40(3):151651. doi: 10.1016/j.soncn.2024.151651. Epub 2024 May 3.

  PMID: 38704342 RESULT

• Zhou X, Lei C, Wei X, Dai W, Xu W, Ao Y, Li X, Qiao G, Shi Q. Patient's experiences of coughing after lung cancer surgery: A multicenter qualitative study. Cancer Med. 2024 Jan;13(2):e6993. doi: 10.1002/cam4.6993.

  PMID: 38348918 RESULT

• Yang X, Bai J, Zhang J, Wang Y, Zhao H, Zhu X. Symptom clusters and their impacts on the quality of life of patients with lung cancer receiving immunotherapy: A cross-sectional study. J Clin Nurs. 2025 May;34(5):1725-1740. doi: 10.1111/jocn.17321. Epub 2024 Jun 17.

  PMID: 38886988 RESULT

• Takemura N, Yorke J. Respiratory symptom cluster in people with lung cancer. Curr Opin Support Palliat Care. 2025 Jun 1;19(2):71-76. doi: 10.1097/SPC.0000000000000754. Epub 2025 Mar 19.

  PMID: 40265563 RESULT

• Molassiotis A, Vu DV, Ching SSY. The Effectiveness of Qigong in Managing a Cluster of Symptoms (Breathlessness-Fatigue-Anxiety) in Patients with Lung Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Integr Cancer Ther. 2021 Jan-Dec;20:15347354211008253. doi: 10.1177/15347354211008253.

  PMID: 33847150 RESULT

• Yorke J, Johnson MJ, Punnett G, Smith J, Blackhall F, Lloyd Williams M, Mackereth P, Haines J, Ryder D, Krishan A, Davies L, Khan A, Molassiotis A. Respiratory distress symptom intervention for non-pharmacological management of the lung cancer breathlessness-cough-fatigue symptom cluster: randomised controlled trial. BMJ Support Palliat Care. 2024 Jan 8;13(e3):e1181-e1190. doi: 10.1136/spcare-2022-003924.

  PMID: 36283797 RESULT

• Karlsson K, Olsson C, Erlandsson A, Ahlberg KM, Larsson M. Exploring Symptom Clusters and Their Measurements in Patients With Lung Cancer: A Scoping Review for Practice and Research. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2023 Oct 19;50(6):783-815. doi: 10.1188/23.ONF.783-815.

  PMID: 37874760 RESULT

• Cheville AL, Novotny PJ, Sloan JA, Basford JR, Wampfler JA, Garces YI, Jatoi A, Yang P. The value of a symptom cluster of fatigue, dyspnea, and cough in predicting clinical outcomes in lung cancer survivors. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2011 Aug;42(2):213-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2010.11.005. Epub 2011 Mar 12.

  PMID: 21398089 RESULT

• Molassiotis A, Lowe M, Blackhall F, Lorigan P. A qualitative exploration of a respiratory distress symptom cluster in lung cancer: cough, breathlessness and fatigue. Lung Cancer. 2011 Jan;71(1):94-102. doi: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2010.04.002. Epub 2010 May 2.

  PMID: 20439127 RESULT

• Li Y, Wang Q, Liu C, Hu X. Symptom clusters and their impact on quality of life among Chinese patients with lung cancer: A cross-sectional study. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2023 Dec;67:102465. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2023.102465. Epub 2023 Nov 7.

  PMID: 37956567 RESULT

• Chen K, Yang D, Li F, Gao L, Tian Y, Xu B, Xu X, Xu Q, Cao J. Changes in the symptom clusters of elderly patients with lung cancer over the course of postoperative rehabilitation and their correlation with frailty and quality of life: A longitudinal study. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2023 Dec;67:102388. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2023.102388. Epub 2023 Jul 24.

  PMID: 37948789 RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Lung Neoplasms; Disease; Cough; Syndrome; Dyspnea; Fatigue

Interventions

Acupressure; Educational Status

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Respiratory Tract Neoplasms; Thoracic Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Lung Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Respiration Disorders; Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory; Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Therapy, Soft Tissue; Musculoskeletal Manipulations; Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Rehabilitation; Socioeconomic Factors; Population Characteristics

Study Officials

• Denise Shuk Ting Cheung, PhD

  The University of Hong Kong

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Central Study Contacts

Mengyao Cao

CONTACT

+852-96733602; u3590805@connect.hku.hk

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 18, 2025
• First Posted: January 2, 2026
• Study Start: March 9, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): February 1, 2027
• Last Updated: May 22, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CN (1); HK (1)