NCT01266044

Controlled Trial Of Acupuncture To Prevent Radiation-Induced Xerostomia

Active, enrolled Phase 3 Last updated 16 April 2026

What this trial tests

Phase 3 trial testing Acupuncture - Group 1 in Head And Neck Cancer in 435 participants. Participants enrolled and being followed up; not accepting new ones.

Timeline

9 December 2011

Primary endpoint
31 December 2026

31 December 2026

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Phase	Phase 3
Status	Active, enrolled
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	single group
Masking	single
Primary purpose	prevention
Enrollment	435
Start date	9 December 2011
Primary completion	31 December 2026
Estimated completion	31 December 2026
Sites	2 locations across China, United States

Drugs / interventions tested

• Acupuncture - Group 1
• Acupuncture - Group 2
• Standard Care — full drug profile →
• Questionnaire

Conditions studied

• Head And Neck Cancer — all drugs for Head And Neck Cancer →

Sponsor

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center — full company profile →

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Head And Neck Cancer. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if acupuncture can help to prevent xerostomia (dry mouth) and improve the quality of life in patients who receive radiation treatment to the head and neck. This study will determine if one acupuncture treatment approach is more effective than another. Dry mouth is a common problem among cancer patients who have received radiation treatment to the head and neck.

Publications & conference data

4 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Effect of True and Sham Acupuncture on Radiation-Induced Xerostomia Among Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
   Garcia MK, Meng Z, Rosenthal DI, Shen Y, et al · · 2019 · cited 46× · PMID 31808921 · DOI 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.16910
2. Salivary toxicity from PSMA-targeted radiopharmaceuticals: What we have learned and where we are going.
   Muniz M, Loprinzi CL, Orme JJ, Koch RM, et al · · 2024 · cited 17× · PMID 38703593 · DOI 10.1016/j.ctrv.2024.102748
3. Cancer treatment-related xerostomia: basics, therapeutics, and future perspectives.
   Hosseini MS, Sanaie S, Mahmoodpoor A, Jabbari Beyrami S, et al · · 2024 · cited 12× · PMID 39614391 · DOI 10.1186/s40001-024-02167-x
4. The differential effects of social support on quality of life in head and neck cancer patients in the United States and China.
   Ratcliff CG, Ahn A, Custodio AL, Garcia MK, et al · · 2026 · PMID 41723882 · DOI 10.1016/j.ejon.2026.103156