Foot massage may ease chemo sickness in cancer patients
NCT ID NCT03508180
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looked at whether foot reflexology—a type of foot massage—can reduce nausea and vomiting caused by platinum-based chemotherapy. Eighty people with lung or digestive cancer received reflexology sessions during their chemo infusions and were asked to do self-massage between treatments. The goal was to see if this simple, non-drug approach could improve their comfort and quality of life.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- foot reflexology
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could give cancer patients a drug-free way to reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study with only 80 participants and no blinding, so results may not be reliable or apply to everyone. Reflexology is unlikely to replace standard anti-nausea medications.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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80 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jun 2018
- Finished
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Apr 2020
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patient with a thoracic or digestive cancer with indication of management with platinum salts-based chemotherapy * Good performance status of (ECOG 0-2) * More than 18 years old * Ability to complete the questionnaires (comprehension oral and written French language) and to carry out the required exercises. * Patient affiliated to Social Security or equivalent * Informed consent signed Exclusion Criteria: * Phlebitis * Cellar syndrome * Weight loss\> 5% in 3 months * Uncontrolled pain * Patients under morphine and derivatives * Brain metastases * Patient benefiting from foot reflexology outside the study * Patient under guardianship or curatorship or deprived of his rights
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud
Pierre-Bénite, France
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