An interventional study of Needle Acupuncture and Laser Acupuncture in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung, sponsored by China Medical University, Taiwan. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Taiwan. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-19.
Sponsored by China Medical University, Taiwan · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
This three-arm randomized controlled clinical trial evaluates the clinical efficacy and safety of needle acupuncture and laser acupuncture compared with placebo (sham) laser acupuncture as supportive care for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, Stage IIIB-IV). The study aims to investigate improvements in lung cancer-specific quality of life, symptom burden, functional status, and sleep quality over a 6 to 8-week intervention period.
6,641 studies on the registry are indexed under Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; 1,665 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 90 is above the median of 62 across 5,327 interventional studies indexed under Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung.
Browse Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung studies →China Medical University, Taiwan is the lead sponsor of 14 studies on the registry; 4 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Participants receive standardized needle acupuncture applied to predefined acupuncture points (core points: ST36, SP6, LI4, LU7 bilaterally, GV20 unilaterally; plus 2-4 syndrome-directed points) twice weekly for 6-8 weeks (total 12-16 sessions, 20-25 minutes per session), in addition to standard-of-care oncologic treatment.
Procedure: Needle Acupuncture
Participants receive active low-level laser acupuncture applied to the same acupuncture points as the needle group twice weekly for 6-8 weeks (wavelength: 650-830 nm, power: 20-50 mW, 1-3 J/point, 30-60 seconds/point), in addition to standard-of-care oncologic treatment.
Device: Laser Acupuncture
Participants receive sham laser acupuncture using an identical device with no therapeutic laser emission, applied to the same points and for the same duration, in addition to standard-of-care oncologic treatment.
Device: Sham Laser Acupuncture
Participants receive standardized needle acupuncture applied bilaterally to core points (ST36, SP6, LI4, LU7) and unilaterally to GV20, plus 2-4 syndrome-directed optional points. Sterile, single-use disposable needles are manually stimulated to elicit de qi sensation and retained for 20-25 minutes per session. Treatment is administered twice weekly for 6-8 weeks (total 12-16 sessions).
Participants receive active low-level laser acupuncture applied to the same core and symptom-directed acupuncture points as the needle group. Standardized laser parameters include wavelength of 650-830 nm, output power of 20-50 mW, energy dose of 1-3 Joules per point, and application time of 30-60 seconds per point. Sessions are delivered twice weekly for 6-8 weeks (total 12-16 sessions).
Participants receive sham laser acupuncture using an identical device that emits no therapeutic laser energy, applied to the identical acupuncture points and for the same treatment duration as the active laser group twice weekly for 6-8 weeks (total 12-16 sessions).
Change from Baseline in Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung Trial Outcome Index (FACT-L TOI) at 6-8 Weeks
Assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung (FACT-L) Trial Outcome Index (TOI), which combines the Physical Well-Being, Functional Well-Being, and Lung Cancer Subscales. The score ranges from 0 to 84, with higher scores indicating better quality of life and lower symptom burden.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and End of intervention (Week 6 to 8)
Change from Baseline in FACT-L Lung Cancer Subscale (LCS) Score at 6-8 Weeks
Assessed using the Lung Cancer Subscale (LCS) of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung questionnaire, evaluating symptoms such as dyspnea, cough, and chest discomfort. The score ranges from 0 to 28, with higher scores indicating fewer symptoms (better outcome).
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and End of intervention (Week 6 to 8)
Change from Baseline in Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) Dyspnea Scale Score at 6-8 Weeks
Assessed using the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale to evaluate breathlessness during daily activities. The scale ranges from Grade 0 to Grade 4, with higher scores indicating more severe breathlessness (worse outcome).
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and End of intervention (Week 6 to 8)
Change from Baseline in General Fatigue Scale - Taiwanese Version (GFS-T) Score at 6-8 Weeks
Assessed using the Taiwanese Version of the General Fatigue Scale (GFS-T) to measure cancer-related fatigue. The total score ranges from 14 to 70, with higher scores indicating greater severity and impact of fatigue (worse outcome).
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and End of intervention (Week 6 to 8)
Change from Baseline in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Global Score at 6-8 Weeks
Assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global score. The score ranges from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality (worse outcome).
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and End of intervention (Week 6 to 8)
Change from Baseline in 6-Minute Walk Distance (6MWD) at 6-8 Weeks
Functional exercise capacity measured by the distance walked in meters during a standardized 6-minute walk test (6MWT).
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and End of intervention (Week 6 to 8)
Change from Baseline in Lowest Oxygen Saturation (SpO2) During 6-Minute Walk Test at 6-8 Weeks
Measured as the lowest percentage of oxygen saturation recorded via pulse oximetry during the 6-minute walk test.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) and End of intervention (Week 6 to 8)
Weekly Analgesic Consumption in Morphine Milligram Equivalents (MME)
Total opioid analgesic consumption calculated as weekly morphine milligram equivalents (MME/week).
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) through Week 8
Time to Clinically Meaningful Deterioration in FACT-L TOI
Time (in weeks or months) to confirmed clinically meaningful deterioration in the FACT-L Trial Outcome Index, defined as a decrease of at least 5 points from baseline.
Time frame: From baseline up to 36 months (or study completion)
Start is estimated for Oct 2026; primary completion for Jul 2029, 33 months later.
Of 305 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung, half reached primary completion within 55 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 30 and three quarters within 123. This study's planned 33 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 320 studies reached it within 52 months; a quarter within 28 and three quarters within 123.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung →
China Medical University, Taiwan