Skip to content

TEAS for the Treatment of Pain in Bone Metastases of Lung Cancer

Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation (TEAS) for the Treatment of Pain in Bone Metastases of Lung Cancer: A Multicenter Prospective RCT Study

Status
UNKNOWN
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05730972
Enrollment
188
Registered
2023-02-16
Start date
2023-12-15
Completion date
2025-12-31
Last updated
2023-12-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Cancer Pain, Non Small Cell Lung Cancer, Bone Metastases, Acupuncture

Keywords

transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation

Brief summary

This multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled research study aims to objectively evaluate the role of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS), which combines the theory of acupuncture with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy, for the treatment of pain in patients with bone metastases from lung cancer.

Interventions

DEVICETranscutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation

The patients are taken in the recumbent or sitting position, and the local skin at the acupoints is routinely disinfected. A pair of conductive gel patch, connecting to the Huatuo SDZ-ⅡB portable electronic needle therapy instrument, are respectively affixed to the ipsilateral acupoint group, so as contralateral side.

The electroacupuncture instrument has a normal screen display as the Huatuo SDZ-ⅡB portable electronic needle therapy instrument, but could not output current normally.

DRUGRoutine palliative treatment

The patients in both groups received routine palliative treatment of tumors, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, drug analgesic therapy, nutrition support, and so on.

Sponsors

The Third Affiliated hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of non-small cell lung cancer and had a diagnosis of definite bone-metastatic-related pain. * Potent opioid analgesics have been prescribed regularly. * Bone protective agents (bisphosphonates or desumumab) have been used regularly. * Expected survival ≥ 3 months with no obvious contraindication to opioid therapy. * Stable vital signs and ECOG-PS score ≤ 2 points; able to cooperate with researchers to complete relevant study evaluations. * Signed informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

* Definitively diagnosed with pain unrelated to lung cancer. * Received local radiation therapy or surgery targeting bone metastases within 1 week before enrollment or will receive during the intervention period. The surgery including vertebroplasty, radioparticle implantation, neurological lesions, and other minimally invasive interventions. * Venous thrombosis in the upper and lower extremities (below the elbow / knee joint), active cerebrovascular disease, severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction, or those with respiratory depression. * Pacemaker implantation or metallic implants in vivo. * Skin lesions at the acupoints, poor skin condition, or other situations that are not suitable for treatment with TEAS. * Opioid hypersensitivity. * Psychiatric disorders or severe cognitive deficits. * Participating in other clinical trialists influencing the evaluation of the results of this study.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The response rate of average pain in the brief pain inventory (BPI) at the end of week 4week 4According to the international consensus on palliative radiotherapy endpoints for bone metastasis clinical trials, the degree of therapeutic response for bone metastatic pain can be classified as complete response (CR: pain score of 0 and no increase in daily oral morphine equivalent dose (OMED) ), partial response (PR: ①pain score decrease of ≥ 2 and no increase in OMED; ②pain score no increase and decrease of ≥ 25% in OMED), pain progression (PP: ①≥ 2 increase in pain score with no decrease in OMED; ②≥ 1 increase in pain score with ≥ 25% increase in OMED) and indeterminate response (IR: cases not classified as CR / PR / PP). Subjects in which complete or partial relief of pain was achieved were pain responders; Subjects whose pain progressed or was indeterminate response were non responders. The response rate of average pain = ((CR+PR) / No. of subjects) \*100%.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The changes of frequency of breakthrough pain within 1 weekweek 4, week 8, week 12
The changes of OMED on assessment daysweek 4, week 8, week 12The daily oral morphine equivalent dose over the past 24 h will be recorded for both groups at each testing time point. Equivalent morphine dose conversions will be established in accordance with the NCCN clinical practice guidelines for adult cancer pain (version 3.2022). For instance, fentanyl transdermal patch (25 mcg/h) will be considered approximately equal to oxycodone (30 mg/d), parenteral morphine (20 mg/d), and oral morphine (60 mg/d).
Quality of life measured by EORTC QLQ-C30 scoreweek 4, week 8, week 12The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) is an integrated system for assessing the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients. The EORTC QLQ-C30 incorporates nine multi-item scales: five functional scales (Physical, Role, Cognitive, Emotional and Social Functioning); three symptom scales (Fatigue, Pain and Nausea/Vomiting); and a Global Health Status/QoL scale. Six single item scales are also included (Dyspnoea, Insomnia, Appetite Loss, Constipation, Diarrhoea and Financial Difficulties). Scale scores were calculated by averaging items within scales and transforming average scores linearly. All of the scales range in score from 0 to 100. A high score for a functional scale represents a high/healthy level of functioning whereas a high score for a symptom scale or item represents a high level of symptomatology or problems.
The changes of pain and inference scores in Brief Pain Inventoryweek 4, week 8, week 12
The changes in mood scale scores of Hamilton Rating Scale for Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A)week 4, week 8, week 12HAM-A is one of the most widely used rating scales to measure the severity of perceived anxiety symptoms. A total of 14 items were included 14 items. The total score ≥29 points, may be severe anxiety. ≥21 points, there must be obvious anxiety. ≥14 points, must have anxiety. ≥7 points, may have anxiety. \< 7 points, no anxiety symptoms.
The changes of tri-lineage cell counts in bloodweek 4, week 8, week 12
The changes in mood scale scores of Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D)week 4, week 8, week 12HAM-D is a standardized scale for the measurement of the severity of depressive symptoms, initially designed to yield a total score based on 17 items. The scores of anxiety/depression and its change during the previous 2 weeks from baseline will be recorded.The total score \> 24 points, severe depression. 17≤ score ≤24, moderate depression. 7≤ score ≤17, mild depression. \< 7 points, no depressive symptoms.

Contacts

Primary ContactYi Liang, PhD
liangyiwww@126.com86-571-86633328
Backup ContactZhengyi Lyu, PhD
202211011211030@zcmu.edu.cn

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 6, 2026