Calm Bladder: Acupuncture to ease urinary symptoms during NMIBC treatment
Official title: The Calm Bladder Study-A Phase 3 multicenter randomized controlled trial to evaluate acupuncture for the management of urinary symptoms in patients with NMIBC undergoing induction intravesical therapy
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11339979 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multicenter trial will test whether weekly acupuncture before bladder cancer therapy helps reduce urinary symptoms and improve quality of life for adults with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | July 3, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $705,620 |
| NIH project number | 1R37CA311356-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11339979 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (18+) with intermediate- or high-risk NMIBC planned for 6 weeks of intravesical therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not experiencing urinary symptoms or those not undergoing intravesical treatment may not see direct benefit.
What this research studies
This study recruits adults with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer undergoing a standard 6-week intravesical treatment. Participants are randomly assigned to true acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or a control care arm to compare effects on urinary symptoms, bladder pain, fatigue, and overall well-being. The in-clinic sessions occur weekly before each treatment, aiming to provide a safe, non-pharmacologic option to improve daily functioning during therapy. The trial builds on pilot data showing safety, satisfaction, and signals of symptom relief with acupuncture. Results could guide supportive care practices for NMIBC patients receiving intravesical therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience better urinary comfort and overall quality of life during NMIBC treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Prior data suggest acupuncture can relieve bladder-related and cancer-treatment–related symptoms, with this trial extending findings to NMIBC during intravesical therapy.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Psutka, Sarah Patricia — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Psutka, Sarah Patricia
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Acupuncture for stable angina symptoms in adults
This study tests whether acupuncture can help reduce chest pain and improve quality of life for adults with stable angina.
-
Helping Men Prevent Future Strokes with a Self-Management Program
This project helps high-risk men who have had a stroke or TIA learn to manage their health to prevent future cardiovascular events.
-
Using acupuncture to help patients with sepsis
This study is looking at whether acupuncture can help patients who are at risk for sepsis, a serious illness, by seeing if it can lower the chances of needing intensive care or improve health outcomes, and it’s designed for people who might be facing this condition.
-
Investigating how acupuncture affects symptoms of stable angina.
This study is looking at how acupuncture might help people with stable angina, which causes chest pain during physical activity or stress, by comparing it to a control treatment over 12 weeks to see if it can improve pain relief and overall well-being.
-
Cognitive behavioral therapy and trazodone for insomnia phenotypes with high blood pressure
A clinical study tests how CBT-I and the sleep drug trazodone work for adults with insomnia and high blood pressure, focusing on a specific sleep duration pattern.
-
Shorter antifungal treatment for kids with candidemia
A multi-center pediatric trial tests whether a shorter, 7 extra days of antifungal therapy after an initial 7 days is just as good as the standard 14-day approach for kids with candidemia who are improving on echinocandin therapy.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.