Latest
Astellas Expands Its 330 Million Euro Tralee Biopharma Facility with a Second Aseptic Filling Line to Double Drug-Product Capacity Xeolas Pharmaceuticals Opens 158,000 Sq Ft State-of-the-Art Baldoyle Facility to Scale Specialty Medicine Manufacturing Priya Life Science Partners with Fleming for the 9th Annual Corporate Compliance & Transparency in Life Sciences Summit in Zurich Ireland Has the Capital and the Lessons: Digital Project Management Is How They Become Delivery Dunbar Pharma Brings First Plant-Derived Dronabinol API to UK Market Through IPS Pharma Leveraging Priya Life Science as a Data Tracker: The Ultimate Use Case & Career Guide Astellas Expands Its 330 Million Euro Tralee Biopharma Facility with a Second Aseptic Filling Line to Double Drug-Product Capacity Xeolas Pharmaceuticals Opens 158,000 Sq Ft State-of-the-Art Baldoyle Facility to Scale Specialty Medicine Manufacturing Priya Life Science Partners with Fleming for the 9th Annual Corporate Compliance & Transparency in Life Sciences Summit in Zurich Ireland Has the Capital and the Lessons: Digital Project Management Is How They Become Delivery Dunbar Pharma Brings First Plant-Derived Dronabinol API to UK Market Through IPS Pharma Leveraging Priya Life Science as a Data Tracker: The Ultimate Use Case & Career Guide
Clinical Trials in Taiwan / NCT07711626
Recruiting Not applicable

Foot Reflexology and Ta-VNS for Symptom Management in Head and Neck Cancer During CCRT

NCT07711626 · tracked via the Priya Life Science Taiwan tracker
Sponsor
Tzu Chi University
Phase
Not applicable
Started
2026-07-13
Last updated
2026-07-24

Condition(s) studied

Head and Neck NeoplasmsXerostomiaCancer-related FatiguePain

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

True Foot ReflexologySham Foot ReflexologyTrue ta-VNSSham ta-VNSTrue Auricular AcupressureSham Auricular AcupressureUsual Care

True Foot Reflexology: Twice weekly, 20 min, over 2 weeks. Three phases: relaxation (diaphragm, brain, spine zones, 3 min); head-neck function and gastrointestinal regulation (upper/lower GI, thyroid, adrenal zones, 10 min); circulation/detoxification (kidney, lymphatic zones, 7 min).

Sham Foot Reflexology: Light touch on non-specific foot areas without

True ta-VNS: Left tragus, cymba conchae, cavum conchae; 250 µs, 25 Hz, 0.5-5 mA individualized to tingling, 30 s on/off; twice weekly, 20 min, 2 weeks. Device: Hong-Tai mid-frequency electrotherapy stimulator, model HT66B (TFDA license no. 000637), used off-label for auricular vagus nerve stimulation.

Sham ta-VNS: Left earlobe, 0.5 mA, otherwise identical parameters.

True Auricular Acupressure: Magnetic beads (1-2 mm) at left tragus, cymba conchae, cavum conchae; 3×/day, \~30 s per point; changed every 2-3 days.

Sham Auricular Acupressure: Beads at left earlobe (non-vagal regions), same frequency/duration.

Usual Care: Standard CCRT nursing care, antiemetic medication, side-effect prevention education, and symptom monitoring; no study intervention.

Study summary

Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) frequently experience pain, xerostomia, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and other treatment-related toxicities that impair quality of life and treatment adherence, with incomplete relief from current supportive care. This randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled trial evaluates whether foot reflexology (FR), transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (ta-VNS), and auricular acupressure (AA) reduce pain, xerostomia, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and treatment-related symptoms in HNC patients receiving cisplatin-based CCRT, compared with usual care. Participants are randomized to a foot reflexology group, an auricular vagus nerve stimulation group (each with true and sham subgroups), or a usual-care control group, and are followed at baseline and weeks 1, 2, and 4.

Eligibility

Sex
ALL
Min age
30 Years
Max age
75 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion Criteria: * Pathologically confirmed head and neck cancer, clinical stage II-IVA, age 30-75 years, conscious, able to communicate and comprehend, and able to comply with study procedures * Scheduled to receive a second cycle of cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy * ECOG performance status ≤2 Exclusion Criteria: * Severe cognitive impairment or psychiatric illness precluding comprehension or cooperation * Open wounds or skin lesions of the foot or ear, lower-limb edema, history of deep vein thrombosis, or diabetes with most recent HbA1c \>7.5% * Cardiac pacemaker or other implanted electronic device, or other severe cardiovascular disease * Severe bone-marrow suppression (WBC \<2,000/µL or platelets \<50,000/µL) * Pregnant or breastfeeding women * History of epilepsy or seizures * Physically frail condition

Primary outcome measure(s)

Trial sites (1)

FacilityCityRegionStatus
Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology Hualien City Taiwan Recruiting

More Tzu Chi University trials in Taiwan

FR-taVNS Tinnitus Tria Recruiting
The Effectiveness of Squat Exercise for Improving Pre-Sarcopenia in Order Adults Recruiting
The Impact of Elderly Simulation Experience on Aging Knowledge, Attitudes, Empathy, Communication Skills and Learning Satisfaction for Facility Care- Workers in Long-term Care Institutions : An Action Research and Effectiveness Evaluation Recruiting

Other trials for the same condition

Bio-significance of LPC16:0 in Fibromyalgia Recruiting
The Effect of Hydrogen Water in Oral Mucositis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients After Therapy Active, not recruiting
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Cancer Pain Management Starting soon
Acupoint Stimulation Improves Postoperative Wound Pain Enrolling by invitation
Geriatric Trauma Care Program for Living Alone Older Adults With Injuries Recruiting
Official registry record

This page summarises publicly available registry data for informational purposes — not medical advice. Eligibility is determined by each study team; patients should discuss participation with their clinician.

View NCT07711626 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ ← All trials in Taiwan