Can talking and tweaking meds calm older cancer surgery patients?
NCT ID NCT05685511
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether a program that combines behavioral activation (a type of counseling that helps people engage in meaningful activities) with medication optimization (reviewing and adjusting current medications) can reduce anxiety and depression in adults aged 60 and older who are about to have surgery for cancer. The 105 participants were randomly assigned to receive the program or usual care. The main goal was to see if their mood scores improved three months after surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Behavioral activation (counseling to engage in meaningful activities) and medication optimization (review and adjustment of current medications)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could provide a simple, non-drug way to improve mental health in older adults undergoing cancer surgery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed trial (105 participants) without a later phase, so results may not apply broadly. The intervention combines two approaches, making it hard to know which part helped.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Washington University School of Medicine
St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States
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