Pilot Study of a Pharmacy Intervention for Older Adults With Cancer

Mass General Brigham

Status: Completed

Conditions: GI Cancer; Breast Cancer; Lung Cancer

Treatments: Other: Pharmacy Intervention; Other: Usual Care

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02871115

16-230

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this research study is to address the challenge of medication management for older patients undergoing treatment for cancer. The sponsor of this protocol is the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center who is providing funding for this research study.

Full description

The goals of the proposed study are: (1) to demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of delivering PRIME (Pharmacist Reconciliation to Improve Medication Management in the Elderly) to older patients with breast, gastrointestinal, and lung cancers; and (2) to estimate the effect size (i.e. the magnitude of the difference between groups) of PRIME for improving medication management (e.g. accurate medication list, less polypharmacy, fewer potentially inappropriate medications) and achieving up-to-date vaccinations.

Enrollment: 62 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 65 or older
• Diagnosed with any stage breast, GI or lung cancer
• Panning to receive first-line chemotherapy at MGH
• Verbal fluency in English

Exclusion criteria

• Unwilling or unable to participate in the study
• Significant psychiatric, cognitive or other comorbid disease which the treating clinician believes prohibits informed consent or participation in the study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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62 participants in 2 patient groups

Pharmacy Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Patients randomized to the pharmacy intervention (PRIME) will undergo evaluation with a clinical pharmacist at their second or third chemotherapy infusion who will * Perform detailed medication reconciliation * Obtain allergy and vaccination history * Evaluate and document polypharmacy (number of medications) * Document their findings in the medical record and discuss their recommendations (in-person, phone call, email) with each patient's oncology team

Treatment:

Other: Pharmacy Intervention

Usual Care

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants receiving Usual Oncology Care will not meet with the pharmacist unless indicated as part of their routine clinical care * Study staff will obtain all patient-reported measures from the patient. * Remind participant to complete self-report measures

Treatment:

Other: Usual Care