Squeezing a stress ball during chemotherapy for people with gastrointestinal cancer.

The Effect of Stress Ball on Anxiety, Fear and Vital Signs in Patients With Gastrointestinal System Cancer

This will test whether squeezing a stress ball during chemotherapy reduces anxiety and helps keep vital signs more stable in adults with gastrointestinal cancer.

Quick facts

• Phase: NA
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Artvin Coruh University (other)
• Drugs / interventions: chemotherapy
• Locations: 1 site (Artvin)
• Trial ID: NCT07383935 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This randomized controlled trial will enroll 60 adults with gastrointestinal cancers receiving chemotherapy and randomly assign them 1:1 to a stress ball intervention or routine care. Patients in the intervention group will squeeze a medium-firm stress ball for 15 minutes at the start of their chemotherapy session while following a guided inhale-squeeze/exhale-release pattern, while the control group receives standard care. Anxiety, fear, and vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, and oxygen saturation) will be measured immediately before and after the chemotherapy session. Outcomes will be compared between and within groups to determine whether the stress ball reduces emotional distress and physiological changes during treatment.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults (age 18 or older) diagnosed with a gastrointestinal system cancer who are receiving chemotherapy at Artvin State Hospital, can physically squeeze a stress ball, have no communication barriers, and consent to participate.

Not a fit: Patients who cannot physically squeeze a stress ball, who have significant communication or cognitive impairments, or who do not receive chemotherapy infusions at the study location are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this low-cost, non-drug approach could reduce anxiety during chemotherapy and help maintain steadier heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing, improving patient comfort during infusions.

How similar studies have performed: Similar simple distraction and hand-squeeze interventions have shown modest reductions in procedural anxiety in other clinical settings, but direct evidence in gastrointestinal chemotherapy patients is limited.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* Being aged 18 years or older
* Having a diagnosis of gastrointestinal system cancer and receiving chemotherapy
* Having no communication problems
* Having no physical disability that would prevent squeezing a stress ball
* Willingness to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

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Where this trial is running

Artvin

• Artvin State Hospital — Artvin, Turkey (Türkiye) (RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Efe Hasdemir Efe Hasdemir, MD

Conditions: Gastrointestinal System Cancer