Haematological CancerPEMFNCT06744764
Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields in Preventing Physical Deconditioning in Patients Undergoing Prolonged Hospitalization
A study testing PEMF (1mT) and PEMF (0mT) in people with Haematological Cancer and Healthy, run by National University Hospital, Singapore at 2 sites in Singapore.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to examine if pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) can prevent or decrease physical deconditioning associated with prolonged hospitalisation and immobility of haematology patients. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 25 to 99 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Haematological Cancer, Healthy
- What is being tested?
- PEMF (1mT) and PEMF (0mT)
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 76 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesSingapore
- Study dates
- 17 Apr 2023to Dec 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 25 to 99 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Haematology patients who are undergoing induction chemotherapy for acute leukemia
- Haematology patients who are undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplant
- Have ECOG 0-24. Able to walk at baseline to participate in short physical battery test.
- For healthy volunteers, subjects have to be healthy without any major disease states, not on any drugs or requiring long term medical attention.
Who cannot join
- Patients who do not agree to sign the consent form.
- Pregnant women will be excluded from the study for healthy volunteers
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Singapore2 sites, 1 recruiting
- Completed
NUHS Investigational Medicine Unit
Kent Ridge, 117599
- Recruiting
National University Hospital
Kent Ridge, 119074
Trisha Nur Nur Ili, +65 8660 6747, trisha_IWANSUHAIMI@nuhs.edu.sg
Melissa Gaik Ming Ooi, MB BCh, BAO, MRCP(I), FRCPath,
About this study
Official title: Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields in Preventing Physical Deconditioning in Patients Undergoing Prolonged Hospitalization: A Case Match Control Study
The goal of this clinical trial is to examine if pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) can prevent or decrease physical deconditioning associated with prolonged hospitalisation and immobility of haematology patients. The main question[s] it aims to answer [is/are]:
- Does haematology patients undergoing prolonged hospitalisation have no or decreased physical deconditioning when exposed to PEMF?
- What are the changes in muscle secretome at baseline and after exposure to PEMF? Researchers will compare haematology patients who receive PEMF against patients who did not receive the treatment to see if there is a change in physical deconditioning. Healthy volunteers will also be recruited and randomized to either exposure to PEMF or no exposure.
Read more
Haematology patients will
- Have their blood taken at baseline, 4 weeks from baseline and 8 weeks from baseline.
- Undergo SPPB test at baseline, 4 weeks and 8 weeks from baseline, and the test comprises of the time up and go test, 4 minute walk test and sit to stand test.
- Either expose to PEMF twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks or no exposure. Healthy volunteers will
- Have their blood taken at baseline, 4 weeks from baseline and 8 weeks from baseline.
- Either expose to PEMF twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks or no exposure.
- Conditions
- Haematological Cancer, Healthy
- Being tested
- PEMF (1mT), PEMF (0mT)
- Keywords
- Magnetic therapy, Cancer management, Muscle atrophy
- Medical subject headings
- Muscular Atrophy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
PEMF (1mT)Device
1mT of field strength will be given to patients/healthy volunteers for 10 minutes, twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks.
PEMF (0mT)Device
Healthy volunteers will place their legs in the PEMF device, twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks. However, no magnetic stimulation will be given.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Haematology Patients | Experimental | Patients will receive 1mT magnetic therapy twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks. Receives: Device: PEMF (1mT) |
| Haematology Patients (Case-matched) | No intervention | Case-matched haematology patients will be recruited after 20 haematology patients receiving the intervention has been recruited. The parameters for matching would be chemotherapy vs bone marrow transplant, age and fitness level according to the short physical performance battery (SPPB) score (0-2, 3-9, 10-12). |
| Healthy Volunteers (PEMF) | Experimental | Healthy volunteers will receive 1mT magnetic therapy twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks. Receives: Device: PEMF (1mT) |
| Healthy volunteers (Sham) | Sham comparator | Healthy volunteers will place their legs in the PEMF device, same as the volunteers receiving the therapy, twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks. However, no magnetic stimulation will be given to this group. Receives: Device: PEMF (0mT) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in physical deconditioning in haematology patients after 8 sessions of PEMF
The haematology patients will undergo the SPPB test which comprises of the time up and go (TUG) test, 4 minute walk test and 5 times sit to stand (STS) test. The same test will be repeated 4 and 8 weeks from baseline. Based on the case study report done previously, we anticipate an improvement of TUG mean by 1.9sec, 5-times STS by 2.3sec and 4 min walk test by 0.14meters by the end of the 8 week therapy. We will consider the trend to be significant if 2 out of 3 three parameters in the SPPB are met.
Measured: Change in SPPB test result 4 and 8 weeks from baseline
Changes in the levels of anti-cancer factors in blood plasma from haematology patients and healthy volunteers
Anti-cancer factors such as HTRA1 and Klotho can be altered with PEMF therapy in humans.
Measured: Change in anti-cancer biomarkers levels in blood plasma from PEMF-exposed patients at week 4 and week 8 versus their own baseline.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted20 Dec 2024
- Study start17 Apr 2023
- Primary completionDec 2025 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2025 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (4)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Haematological CancerStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by National University Hospital, SingaporeThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 76 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- National University Hospital, Singapore
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06744764
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2022/00928
- Acronym
- PEMF
- Status last verified
- Jan 2025
- First submitted
- 17 Dec 2024
- Last updated
- 8 Jan 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Age, ethnicity, medical history, diet, physical activity, anthropometrics
Publications
Venugobal S, Tai YK, Goh J, Teh S, Wong C, Goh I, Maier AB, Kennedy BK, Franco-Obregon A. Brief, weekly magnetic muscle therapy improves mobility and lean body mass in older adults: a Southeast Asia community case study. Aging (Albany NY). 2023 Mar 19;15(6):1768-1790. doi: 10.18632/aging.204597. Epub 2023 Mar 19.
PubMed 36934330Stephenson MC, Krishna L, Pannir Selvan RM, Tai YK, Kit Wong CJ, Yin JN, Toh SJ, Torta F, Triebl A, Frohlich J, Beyer C, Li JZ, Tan SS, Wong CK, Chinnasamy D, Pakkiri LS, Lee Drum C, Wenk MR, Totman JJ, Franco-Obregon A. Magnetic field therapy enhances muscle mitochondrial bioenergetics and attenuates systemic ceramide levels following ACL reconstruction: Southeast Asian randomized-controlled pilot trial. J Orthop Translat. 2022 Oct 13;35:99-112. doi: 10.1016/j.jot.2022.09.011. eCollection 2022 Jul.
PubMed 36262374Yap JLY, Tai YK, Frohlich J, Fong CHH, Yin JN, Foo ZL, Ramanan S, Beyer C, Toh SJ, Casarosa M, Bharathy N, Kala MP, Egli M, Taneja R, Lee CN, Franco-Obregon A. Ambient and supplemental magnetic fields promote myogenesis via a TRPC1-mitochondrial axis: evidence of a magnetic mitohormetic mechanism. FASEB J. 2019 Nov;33(11):12853-12872. doi: 10.1096/fj.201900057R. Epub 2019 Sep 13.
PubMed 31518158Iversen JN, Tai YK, Yap JLY, Abdul Razar RBB, Sukumar VK, Wu KY, Ooi MG, Kukumberg M, Adam S, Rufaihah AJ, Franco-Obregon A. One Month of Brief Weekly Magnetic Field Therapy Enhances the Anticancer Potential of Female Human Sera: Randomized Double-Blind Pilot Study. Cells. 2025 Feb 23;14(5):331. doi: 10.3390/cells14050331.
PubMed 40072060
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Jan 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields in Preventing Physical Deconditioning in Patients Undergoing Prolonged Hospitalization: A Case Match Control Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06744764
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PEMF / 2022/00928
- Conditions
- Haematological Cancer, Healthy
- Keywords
- Magnetic therapy, Cancer management, Muscle atrophy
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 76 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- National University Hospital, SingaporeUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 17 Apr 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2025 (estimated)
- First posted
- 20 Dec 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to examine if pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) can prevent or decrease physical deconditioning associated with prolonged hospitalisation and immobility of haematology patients. The main question[s] it aims to answer [is/are]:
- Does haematology patients undergoing prolonged hospitalisation have no or decreased physical deconditioning when exposed to PEMF?
- What are the changes in muscle secretome at baseline and after exposure to PEMF? Researchers will compare haematology patients who receive PEMF against patients who did not receive the treatment to see if there is a change in physical deconditioning. Healthy volunteers will also be recruited and randomized to either exposure to PEMF or no exposure.
Haematology patients will
- Have their blood taken at baseline, 4 weeks from baseline and 8 weeks from baseline.
- Undergo SPPB test at baseline, 4 weeks and 8 weeks from baseline, and the test comprises of the time up and go test, 4 minute walk test and sit to stand test.
- Either expose to PEMF twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks or no exposure. Healthy volunteers will
- Have their blood taken at baseline, 4 weeks from baseline and 8 weeks from baseline.
- Either expose to PEMF twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks or no exposure.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Haematology Patients | Experimental | Device: PEMF (1mT)Patients will receive 1mT magnetic therapy twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks. |
| Haematology Patients (Case-matched) | No intervention | –Case-matched haematology patients will be recruited after 20 haematology patients receiving the intervention has been recruited. The parameters for matching would be chemotherapy vs bone marrow transplant, age and fitness level according to the short physical performance battery (SPPB) score (0-2, 3-9, 10-12). |
| Healthy Volunteers (PEMF) | Experimental | Device: PEMF (1mT)Healthy volunteers will receive 1mT magnetic therapy twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks. |
| Healthy volunteers (Sham) | Sham comparator | Device: PEMF (0mT)Healthy volunteers will place their legs in the PEMF device, same as the volunteers receiving the therapy, twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks. However, no magnetic stimulation will be given to this group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 25 to 99 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Haematology patients who are undergoing induction chemotherapy for acute leukemia
- Haematology patients who are undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplant
- Have ECOG 0-24. Able to walk at baseline to participate in short physical battery test.
- For healthy volunteers, subjects have to be healthy without any major disease states, not on any drugs or requiring long term medical attention.
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Patients who do not agree to sign the consent form.
- Pregnant women will be excluded from the study for healthy volunteers
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| PEMF (1mT)1mT of field strength will be given to patients/healthy volunteers for 10 minutes, twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks. | Device | Haematology Patients, Healthy Volunteers (PEMF) |
| PEMF (0mT)Healthy volunteers will place their legs in the PEMF device, twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks. However, no magnetic stimulation will be given. | Device | Healthy volunteers (Sham) |
Primary outcome
Change in physical deconditioning in haematology patients after 8 sessions of PEMF
Time frame: Change in SPPB test result 4 and 8 weeks from baseline
The haematology patients will undergo the SPPB test which comprises of the time up and go (TUG) test, 4 minute walk test and 5 times sit to stand (STS) test. The same test will be repeated 4 and 8 weeks from baseline. Based on the case study report done previously, we anticipate an improvement of TUG mean by 1.9sec, 5-times STS by 2.3sec and 4 min walk test by 0.14meters by the end of the 8 week therapy. We will consider the trend to be significant if 2 out of 3 three parameters in the SPPB are met.
Changes in the levels of anti-cancer factors in blood plasma from haematology patients and healthy volunteers
Time frame: Change in anti-cancer biomarkers levels in blood plasma from PEMF-exposed patients at week 4 and week 8 versus their own baseline.
Anti-cancer factors such as HTRA1 and Klotho can be altered with PEMF therapy in humans.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Jan 2025.
- Background: PubMed 36934330Venugobal S, Tai YK, Goh J, Teh S, Wong C, Goh I, Maier AB, Kennedy BK, Franco-Obregon A. Brief, weekly magnetic muscle therapy improves mobility and lean body mass in older adults: a Southeast Asia community case study. Aging (Albany NY). 2023 Mar 19;15(6):1768-1790. doi: 10.18632/aging.204597. Epub 2023 Mar 19.
- Background: PubMed 36262374Stephenson MC, Krishna L, Pannir Selvan RM, Tai YK, Kit Wong CJ, Yin JN, Toh SJ, Torta F, Triebl A, Frohlich J, Beyer C, Li JZ, Tan SS, Wong CK, Chinnasamy D, Pakkiri LS, Lee Drum C, Wenk MR, Totman JJ, Franco-Obregon A. Magnetic field therapy enhances muscle mitochondrial bioenergetics and attenuates systemic ceramide levels following ACL reconstruction: Southeast Asian randomized-controlled pilot trial. J Orthop Translat. 2022 Oct 13;35:99-112. doi: 10.1016/j.jot.2022.09.011. eCollection 2022 Jul.
- Background: PubMed 31518158Yap JLY, Tai YK, Frohlich J, Fong CHH, Yin JN, Foo ZL, Ramanan S, Beyer C, Toh SJ, Casarosa M, Bharathy N, Kala MP, Egli M, Taneja R, Lee CN, Franco-Obregon A. Ambient and supplemental magnetic fields promote myogenesis via a TRPC1-mitochondrial axis: evidence of a magnetic mitohormetic mechanism. FASEB J. 2019 Nov;33(11):12853-12872. doi: 10.1096/fj.201900057R. Epub 2019 Sep 13.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 40072060Iversen JN, Tai YK, Yap JLY, Abdul Razar RBB, Sukumar VK, Wu KY, Ooi MG, Kukumberg M, Adam S, Rufaihah AJ, Franco-Obregon A. One Month of Brief Weekly Magnetic Field Therapy Enhances the Anticancer Potential of Female Human Sera: Randomized Double-Blind Pilot Study. Cells. 2025 Feb 23;14(5):331. doi: 10.3390/cells14050331.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Age, ethnicity, medical history, diet, physical activity, anthropometrics
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing PEMF (1mT) and PEMF (0mT) in people with Haematological Cancer and Healthy, run by National University Hospital, Singapore at 2 sites in Singapore.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Jan 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in Singapore. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Melissa Ooi, MB BCh, BAO, MRCP(I), FRCPath, (6772 2526, melissa_ooi@nuhs.edu.sg), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in physical deconditioning in haematology patients after 8 sessions of PEMF (time frame: Change in SPPB test result 4 and 8 weeks from baseline). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06744764, which also lists 4 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Jan 2025.