Somatic acupressure for the management of the fatigue-sleep disturbance-depression symptom cluster in breast cancer survivors: a study protocol for a phase III randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The fatigue-sleep disturbance-depression symptom cluster (FSDSC) is commonly experienced by breast cancer (BC) survivors, leading to a deteriorated quality of life (QoL). Somatic acupressure (SA) has been recommended as a promising non-pharmacological intervention for cancer-related fatigue (the core symptom of the FSDSC) in the guidelines, showing its encouraging role in relieving cancer-related sleep disorders, fatigue and depression. This phase III randomised controlled trial (RCT) is designed to evaluate the effects, safety and cost-effectiveness of SA for managing the FSDSC in BC survivors.

Methods

This phase III RCT will be a partial-blinded, sham-controlled, three-arm, parallel clinical trial, involving a 7-week SA intervention period and a 12-week follow

SUBMITTER: Li M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11877206 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature