#United States #Plymouth Meeting #Cancer Care #medication safety #Geriatric Oncology

Introduction to the Research and Its Importance

A groundbreaking study published in the September 2025 edition of the JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network reveals an innovative approach to enhance medication safety for older adults battling cancer. The research emphasizes the critical necessity of evaluating the medications prescribed to this vulnerable population, particularly those that may exacerbate frailty and lead to negative health outcomes.

The study focuses on the Geriatric Oncology Potentially Inappropriate Medications scale, or GO-PIMs for short, which has been specifically curated to identify drugs that can be harmful to older patients with cancer. Conducted by researchers associated with the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Boston, the findings shed light on how the GO-PIMs can impact medication practices in oncology.

The Study's Findings

Analyzing comprehensive data from over 380,000 older adults diagnosed with cancer—including both solid tumors and hematologic malignancies—from 2000 to 2022, the researchers found that approximately 38% of these patients were prescribed at least one medication deemed high-risk according to the GO-PIMs scale. Notably, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were frequently involved.

The repercussions of being prescribed GO-PIMs were alarming; each additional high-risk medication raised the odds of a patient being classified as mildly or moderately-to-severely frail by 66% at diagnosis. These statistics underscore the importance of the GO-PIMs tool in recognizing medications that could detrimentally affect patient health outcomes.

Insights from Researchers

Lead author Jennifer La, PhD, affiliated with Harvard Medical School, articulates that this research aims to make cancer treatment safer and more tolerable for older adults, who are particularly susceptible to adverse drug reactions. The population often deals with multiple health complexities, which makes the challenge of balancing medication benefits and risks even more significant. La emphasizes that many of the chronic and supportive care medications might indeed cause more harm than good.

According to La, the findings suggest that by identifying these medications promptly using the GO-PIMs scale, healthcare professionals can improve patient safety and potentially enhance treatment outcomes.

Senior author Clark DuMontier, MD, MPH, also from Harvard Medical School, expressed hope that this research will inspire oncology care teams to conduct regular reviews of patients' medication lists. He remarked on the importance of not just tallying the total number of medications but closely examining which specific ones could pose risks to older patients.

Practical Applications and Future Steps

The researchers advocate for integrating tools like the GO-PIMs scale into electronic health records to automatically flag concerning prescriptions. This integration could enable healthcare teams to carefully weigh medication risks and benefits, inviting deeper discussions concerning potential safer alternatives or deprescribing where necessary.

Mostafa Mohamed, MBBCh, PhD, from the University of Rochester Medical Center, highlighted the significance of revisiting medication safety upon a cancer diagnosis. Given that older adults often begin systemic therapies amidst complex health regimens, opportunities abound to enhance patient care through conscientious medication management.

A Look Ahead

The research accentuates the importance of adopting such tools in practice settings to mitigate medication-related risks for older cancer patients. With the GO-PIMs scale demonstrating its capability to highlight potentially inappropriate medications effectively, the next steps should include broader implementation to not only identify these medications but also evoke actionable changes in treatment plans that positively affect patient care.

As the impact of cancer studies continues to expand in the medical field, the JNCCN has also reported a surge in its influence, with its Impact Factor rising from 14.8 to 16.4, placing it within the top ranks of cancer research publications. This milestone reflects the vital contributions of research findings such as this, which aim to improve healthcare outcomes and quality of life for patients grappling with cancer.