Recruiting
Phase 2

Reiki Therapy

Sponsor:

University of Utah

Code:

NCT05979610

Conditions

Gynecologic Neoplasm

Brachytherapy

Therapeutic Touch

Endometrial Cancer

Cervical Cancer

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: Female

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Reiki therapy

Study Details

Brief summary:

The goal of this open label, randomized, controlled clinical trial is to assess the benefits of providing Reiki therapy to subjects receiving their first brachytherapy treatment for gynecological malignancies.

Participants will either receive a session of Reiki therapy or usual care during the standard wait time between the placement of the brachytherapy device and brachytherapy treatment. Questionnaires will be administered at various time points on the day of the participant's first brachytherapy treatment as well as at the three month follow-up time point.

Researchers will compare the intervention (Reiki therapy) and control (usual care) groups to assess the impact of the Reiki therapy on anxiety, pain, state anxiety, depression, and physiological measurements.

Conditions

Gynecologic Neoplasm

Brachytherapy

Therapeutic Touch

Endometrial Cancer

Cervical Cancer

Study ID

NCT05979610

Start date

Nov 14, 2023

Status verified date

May, 2026

Completion date

Jun, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Aug, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: Female

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Subject aged ≥ 18 years.
  • Pathologically confirmed malignancy of the endometrium, cervix, vagina or vulva.
  • Eligible to undergo brachytherapy treatment as an outpatient procedure.
  • Able to read and understand English and/or Spanish.
  • Able to provide informed consent and willing to sign an approved consent form that conforms to federal and institutional guidelines.
  • Willing to participate in either the Reiki therapy or standard of care arm regardless of treatment assignment.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Prior brachytherapy treatment for a gynecological malignancy.
  • Medical, psychiatric, cognitive, or other conditions that may compromise the subject's ability to understand the subject information, give informed consent, comply with the study protocol or complete the study.

Study Design

Enrollment

70 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Reiki Therapy

Participants randomized to Arm 1 will receive a session of Reiki therapy during the standard wait time between the placement of the brachytherapy device and their first brachytherapy treatment.

no intervention: Standard of Care

Participants randomized to the standard of care control arm will be asked to remain in a clinic room during the standard waiting period between the placement of the brachytherapy device and the start of brachytherapy treatment. Participants may participate in any activity other than Reiki therapy during this time. Participants may be accompanied by a family member or friend.

Interventions

Reiki therapy

Reiki therapy is a form of energy healing that originated in Japan. It involves the transfer of energy from the Reiki practitioner to the recipient through the hands, with the goal of promoting physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Below is a general outline of the process of Reiki therapy, which may vary slightly depending on the needs of the recipient:

  • The patient will be in a quiet clinic room lying in the supine position with calming music playing and aromatherapy if the patient chooses.
  • The Reiki therapist will place their hands on or near the recipient's body. The Reiki therapist may use a series of hand positions that correspond to different energy centers in the body.
  • During the treatment, the practitioner channels energy into the recipient's body through their hands. The patient may feel a sense of warmth, tingling, or relaxation.
  • The Reiki therapist may use different techniques, such as hand movements or visualization.

Primary outcome measure

  • Comparison between the treatment groups of the change in anxiety from Assessment 1 to Assessment 3 as measured by the 6-item Spielberger State Anxiety Scale. [ Time Frame: 4 months ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

David Samuel

801-587-4713David.Samuel@hci.utah.edu

Locations

Huntsman Cancer Institute

Recruiting

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, 84112

Contacts

Elyse D'Astous

801-587-4323Elyse.DAstous@hci.utah.edu

Principal Investigator:

Lindsay Burt, MD

More Information

Sponsor

University of Utah

Last update posted

May 11, 2026

Last verified

May, 2026

Keywords

  • Reiki

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Utah on 2026-05-11.