Therapeutic Touch in Cancer Patients Receiving Palliative Care

NCT07524179 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 27.03.2024-23396
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 61
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to examine the effect of therapeutic touch applied to advanced cancer patients receiving palliative care on sleep quality and fatigue severity. This is a randomized controlled experimental study using a pretest-posttest design. The study includes advanced-stage cancer patients receiving support in a palliative care unit. Research data will be collected from patients between March and August 2024 using face-to-face interviews. The intervention group will receive therapeutic touch for 20 minutes per day for 5 consecutive days, while the control group will continue to receive routine palliative care. Data will be collected using a Personal Information Form, the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (RCSQ), and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS).

Conditions

Cancer; Palliative Care; Therapeutic Touch; Sleep; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic

Keywords

palliative care; cancer patient; sleep; fatigue; therapeutic touching

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Sleep Quality

  Sleep quality measured by the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (RCSQ). The scale consists of 5 items scored from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate better sleep quality.

  Baseline and immediately after 5-day intervention

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Fatigue Severity

  Baseline and immediately after 5-day intervention

Study Arms (2)

therapeutic touch intervention group

EXPERIMENTAL

Scales were applied to the intervention group in the first interview and pre-test data were obtained. In the next process, therapeutic touch was performed to the intervention group for approximately 10-15 minutes on the head, shoulders, hands and feet starting at 22:00 at night for 5 days on weekdays within the scope of the research.

Behavioral: Therapeutic Touch

Control: Routine Palliative Care Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Control group continued with routine palliative care protocols. No therapeutic touch or other specific touch-based intervention was applied. Scales were applied at the same time points as the intervention group.

Other: Routine Palliative Care

Interventions

Routine Palliative Care OTHER

Participants continued with routine palliative care protocols. No therapeutic touch or other specific touch-based intervention was applied.

Control: Routine Palliative Care Group

Therapeutic Touch BEHAVIORAL

Therapeutic touch was applied to the head, shoulders, hands and feet for approximately 10-15 minutes per day for 5 consecutive days. The application was performed between 18:00-22:00 in the patient's room with privacy ensured. The protocol consisted of light, rhythmic touches based on the effleurage (stroking) technique.

therapeutic touch intervention group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 100 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• years of age or older
• Pathologically confirmed advanced-stage cancer (stage 3-4)
• Receiving palliative care treatment
• Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (RCSQ) score ≤50
• Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) score ≥4
• Mini-Mental Test score ≥24

You may not qualify if:

• Known diagnosis of a major sleep disorder
• Presence of acute infection
• Widespread dermatological lesions compromising skin integrity (e.g., ulcer, eczema)
• Dementia, delirium, or severe cognitive impairment
• Hearing or vision loss that would hinder therapeutic communication
• Medical condition that would contraindicate the application as determined by the palliative care team

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Erzurum Technical University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Erzurum City Hospital Palliative Care Service

Erzurum, Merkez, 02040, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neoplasms; Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic; Fatigue

Interventions

Therapeutic Touch

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Muscular Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Encephalomyelitis; Neuroinflammatory Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neuromuscular Diseases; Chronic Disease; Disease Attributes; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mind-Body Therapies; Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Spiritual Therapies

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: Associate Professor

Model Details: This research was planned as a randomized controlled experimental study.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 31, 2026
• First Posted: April 13, 2026
• Study Start: March 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: August 1, 2024
• Study Completion: August 1, 2024
• Last Updated: April 13, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)