Trial reportThe oncologist2022
Polypharmacy, Potentially Inappropriate Medications, and Drug-Drug Interactions in Vulnerable Older Adults With Advanced Cancer Initiating Cancer Treatment.
Trial report in The oncologist, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 48 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
48 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 76 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence and determinants of polypharmacy among cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Systematic reviews · 2026Pooled it
- Outcomes of deprescribing for people with life-limiting conditions: A systematic review.Palliative medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Acupuncture vs. Massage for Insomnia and Pain in Advanced Cancer: Exploratory RCT.Journal of pain and symptom management · 2026Trial
- A clinical study on fall risk assessment and preventive nursing in older adults with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma undergoing chemotherapy-a randomized controlled trial.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Trial
- Resilience in symptom response to cancer treatment: a new lens for examining variable symptom trajectories in older adults with advanced cancer.The oncologist · 2026Trial
- Effect of polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications on physical functional decline among older adults with advanced cancer receiving systemic treatment.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024Trial
- Acupuncture vs Massage for Pain in Patients Living With Advanced Cancer: The IMPACT Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2023Trial
- Trial
- Deprescribing opportunities for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: an observational study of potentially inappropriate medications and stakeholders' perspectives.International journal of clinical pharmacy · 2026Observational
- Diagnostic performance of package insert-based screening for potential drug-drug interactions in ICU patients receiving injectable medications: a retrospective diagnostic accuracy study using Lexi-Interact as the comparator in Japan.Journal of intensive care · 2026Article
- Impact of baseline medications on real-world overall survival in immune checkpoint inhibitor-treated patients with cancer in the RADIOHEAD cohort.Med (New York, N.Y.) · 2026Article
- Iodinated Contrast Media in Oncologic CT: A Narrative Review of Safety, Risk Stratification, and Practical Considerations.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Polypharmacy, Medicine Optimisation, and Medication Adherence in Older Cancer Patients.Current oncology reports · 2026Review
- Barriers and facilitators of deprescribing for older adults with cancer and polypharmacy.Journal of geriatric oncology · 2026Article
- The impact of concomitant medications on treatment outcomes in patients with cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors.Nature reviews. Cancer · 2026Review
- An in-home engagement and usability study of GeRI: an open-source platform for remote symptom assessment and wearable activity monitoring in men with prostate cancer.Frontiers in digital health · 2026Article
- Polypharmacy in Elderly Patients Receiving First-Line Treatment for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: Analysis of Potential Drug-Drug Interactions and Outcome.Oncology research · 2026Article
- Polypharmacy and quality of life in Yemeni cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: A cross-sectional study.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- The impact of patient information on prescribing errors: Insights from pharmaceutical interventions.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2025Article
- Acupuncture versus cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety among cancer survivors with insomnia: An exploratory analysis of a randomized clinical trial.Integrative medicine research · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
12 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
purposePolypharmacy is prevalent in older adults starting cancer treatment and associated with potentially inappropriate medications (PIM), potential drug-drug interactions (DDI), and drug-cancer treatment interactions (DCI). For a large cohort of vulnerable older adults with advanced cancer starting treatment, we describe patterns of prescription and nonprescription medication usage, the prevalence of PIM, and the prevalence, severity, and type of DDI/DCI.
methodsThis secondary analysis used baseline data from a randomized study enrolling patients aged ≥70 years with advanced cancer starting a new systemic cancer treatment (University of Rochester Cancer Center [URCC] 13059; PI: Mohile). PIM were categorized using 2019 Beers criteria and Screening Tool of Older Persons' Prescriptions. Potential DDI/DCI were evaluated using Lexi-Interact Online. Medication classification followed the World Health Organization Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical system. Bivariate associations were evaluated between sociodemographic and geriatric assessment (GA) measures and medication measures. Chord diagrams and network analysis were used to understand and describe DDI/DCI.
resultsAmong 718 patients (mean age 77.6 years), polypharmacy (≥5 medications), excessive polypharmacy (≥10 medications), and ≥1 PIM were identified in 61.3%,14.5%, and 67.1%, respectively. Cardiovascular medications were the most prevalent (47%), and nonprescription medications accounted for 26% of total medications and 40% of PIM. One-quarter of patients had ≥1 potential major DDI not involving cancer treatment, and 5.4% had ≥1 potential major DCI. Each additional medication increased the odds of a potential major DDI and DCI by 39% and 12%, respectively. Polypharmacy and PIM are associated with multiple GA domains.
conclusionIn a cohort of vulnerable older adults with advanced cancer starting treatment, polypharmacy, PIM, and potential DDI/DCI are very common. Nonprescription medications are frequently PIMs and/or involved in potential DDI/DCI.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.