External application of liver compresses to reduce fatigue in patients with metastatic cancer undergoing radiation therapy, a randomized clinical trial.

摘要: BACKGROUND Liver compresses are frequently used in integrative medicine as supportive therapy during cancer treatment order to reduce fatigue. We performed a pilot study test whether the external application of yarrow liver impacts fatigue patients with metastatic undergoing radiation therapy. METHODS A randomized prospective trial was including brain metastasis or bone solid tumors. Patients underwent either palliative (RT) lesions (control group) over two weeks same RT additional once daily RT. The primary objective improvement on general subscale multidimensional inventory (MFI-20) at end treatment, where mean difference points is considered clinically relevant. Secondary objectives included psychological distress, quality life and qualitative analysis self-established visual analogue scales (VAS). Mean differences compared baseline were analyzed using ANCOVA test. RESULTS From 09/2017 08/2019 total 39 randomized. Due drop outs 24 (12 per available for analysis. intervention group received number 10.5 (range, 7-14) applications compresses. MFI-20 2 favor (p = 0.13), all other subscales showed least trend towards group. Likewise, distress VAS data improved, latter reaching statistical significance symptoms fatigue, tension lack drive. Major toxicities not observed. CONCLUSIONS External appears within clinical relevant range TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN, ICTRP DRKS00012999.