Can a placebo plus counseling beat cancer fatigue?

NCT ID NCT06085716

Recruiting now Symptom relief Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether combining psychoeducational sessions (like counseling and self-help strategies) with an open-label placebo can reduce fatigue in people with metastatic cancer. Participants will be assigned to one of three groups: education only, placebo only, or both. The goal is to see if the combination improves quality of life more than either approach alone.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: open-label placebo
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a simple, safe way to reduce cancer-related fatigue and improve quality of life for patients with advanced cancer.
What could go wrong: This is an early-phase trial with only 240 participants, and the intervention involves a placebo, so the benefit may be small or not work for everyone. Fatigue is subjective and hard to measure.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Fatigue metastatic malignant neoplasm neoplasm

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

FATIGUE METASTATIC CANCERS

Contacts and locations

Locations

MD Anderson Cancer Centerr
RECRUITING

Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

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