Preventing constipation in people getting chemotherapy
The Effect of Abdominal Massage in Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Constipation
This trial will try abdominal massage to prevent constipation in adults receiving chemotherapy for breast or lung cancer.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 146 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Marmara University Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | chemotherapy, radiation |
| Locations | 1 site (Istanbul, Marmara) |
| Trial ID | NCT07007468 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Adults with breast or lung cancer who develop constipation after at least one cycle of chemotherapy will receive a nursing abdominal massage protocol intended to increase bowel movement through altered intra‑abdominal pressure. The intervention will be delivered at participating nursing clinics in Istanbul and patients will be monitored for stool form and constipation severity using the Bristol Stool Scale and clinical follow‑up. Patients with abdominal obstruction, recent abdominal surgery or radiation, intra‑abdominal infection, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, intestinal bleeding, or an abdominal mass are excluded. The aim is to offer a low‑cost, nonpharmacologic nursing approach that may reduce constipation symptoms and related complications during chemotherapy.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults (18+) receiving chemotherapy for breast or lung cancer who experienced constipation (Bristol Stool Scale type 1 or 2) within five days after at least one chemotherapy cycle and who have no major abdominal pathology or disqualifying medical history are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients without chemotherapy-associated constipation (Bristol Stool Scale types 3–7) or those with abdominal obstruction, recent abdominal surgery or radiation, active intra‑abdominal infection, inflammatory bowel disease, IBS, intestinal bleeding, or an abdominal mass are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, abdominal massage could lower constipation severity and complications, helping patients maintain chemotherapy schedules and improving quality of life.
How similar studies have performed: Small nursing and palliative care studies have reported that abdominal massage can improve constipation symptoms, but evidence is limited and not definitive specifically for chemotherapy-induced constipation.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 18 years of age or older, * Receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer or lung cancer that causes constipation * Patients who received at least one cycle of chemotherapy and experienced chemotherapy-associated constipation within five days of treatment (stool type 1 or 2 according to the Bristol Stool Scale) * Volunteers who are willing to participate in the research, can communicate, and can read and write, * Without psychiatric illness and abdominal obstruction, * No mass in the abdominal region was detected, * No intestinal bleeding, * No history of radiation therapy to the abdominal region, * No surgical procedures in the abdominal region, * Patients without intra-abdominal infection, inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome will be included Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with stool type 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 points according to the Bristol Stool Scale
Where this trial is running
Istanbul, Marmara
- Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing — Istanbul, Marmara, Turkey (Türkiye) (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: CAN LAFÇI, PhD(c)
- Email: can.lafci@ogr.iuc.edu.tr
- Phone: +90 546 931 90 39
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.