Can cutting extra pills help older cancer patients get better chemo?
NCT ID NCT05046171
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Aug 20, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tested whether a pharmacist-led program could safely reduce the number of unnecessary medications taken by older adults (65+) with curable cancers starting chemotherapy. 51 patients participated, with oncologists randomly assigned to either a pharmacist review or a simple educational pamphlet. The goal was to see if reducing extra pills helps patients receive their full chemotherapy dose as planned.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- pharmacist-led deprescribing and patient education
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could help older cancer patients avoid side effects from unnecessary medications and receive their chemotherapy as planned.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot study with only 51 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The intervention may not significantly change chemotherapy dosing or side effects.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
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50 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jun 2022
- Finished
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Dec 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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65 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * 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. Exclusion Criteria: * 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.
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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
-
University of Rochester
Rochester, New York, 14642, United States
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