Acupressure for Cough in Lung Cancer Survivors

Acupressure for Cough in Lung Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial

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

Participants will:

Receive acupressure for 8 weeks or receive an education booklet; Keep a diary of their acupressure practice and symptoms; Be assessed at baseline (T0), early intervention (T1), post-intervention (T2), and 8 weeks after the intervention period (T3).

Lung cancer survivors often exhibit multiple symptoms, among which cough and its co-occurring symptoms have been identified as a group of prevalent and persistent symptoms that substantially impact their quality of life and overall survival. Research has identified cough as the sentinel symptom of the respiratory symptom cluster in lung cancer patients, underscoring the critical need for effective management strategies. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of a safe and self-administerable acupressure intervention on alleviating cough, reducing the dyspnea-cough-fatigue symptom cluster, and improving symptom burden, functional capacity, and quality of life in this patient population.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 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.

Exclusion Criteria:

• 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.