Decreasing Polypharmacy in Older Adults With Curable Cancers Trial

Completed · Phase 1/Phase 2

Conditions studied: Cancer

In brief

This is a single-site cluster-randomized trial to assess efficacy and implementation outcomes of deprescribing interventions in 72 older adults with polypharmacy (PP) and curable cancers initiating chemotherapy. Oncologists (as the cluster) will enroll 6 patients each and will be randomized to either a pharmacist-led deprescribing intervention or patient education intervention. Initial focus groups with oncologists, nurses, pharmacists, primary care physicians, and patients will provide data for initial adaptations to the pharmacist-led intervention arm, and 8 patients will be enrolled as a pre-trial cohort to further refine and adapt the pharmacist-led intervention.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT05046171

Run by

University of Rochester

People needed

51

Starts

2022-06-14

Expected to finish

2025-08-30

Last updated by the study team

2026-03-24

Who can join

Age: 65 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Be age ≥65 years;
• Have a diagnosis of malignancy including aggressive lymphoma or cancers of the breast, gastrointestinal system, genitourinary system, or lung;
• Be initiating chemotherapy, alone or in combination with other systemic antineoplastic agents, (for a period of at least 3 months) within 4 weeks of enrollment;
• Screen positive for polypharmacy (>10 medications) or potentially inappropriate medications
• Be able to read and write English;
• Be able to give informed consent, as determined by the primary oncologist, or has a legally authorized representative to sign consent in the case of cognitive impairment.

You may not qualify if…

• Be planned to receive a cancer treatment regimen that does not include standard cytotoxic chemotherapy (e.g., only targeted therapies, hormonal therapies, monoclonal antibody therapies, immunotherapy, etc.),
• Have surgery or radiation without concurrent chemotherapy planned within 3 months of consent,
• Have a planned referral to the geriatric oncology clinic (SOCARE) within one month of treatment initiation,
• Lack decisional capacity, if a legally authorized representative is not available to sign consent and participate in study visits and follow-up phone calls.

Where it is running

• University of Rochester — Rochester, New York, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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