Polypharmacy in patients with advanced cancer and the role of medication discontinuation

LeBlanc, TW; McNeil, MJ; Kamal, AH; Currow, DC; Abernethy, AP

Polypharmacy in patients with advanced cancer and the role of medication discontinuation

LeBlanc, TW McNeil, MJ Kamal, AH Currow, DC

Abernethy, AP

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: The Lancet Oncology, 2015, 16 (7), pp. e333 - e341
Issue Date:: 2015-01-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	LeBlanc, TW	en_US
dc.contributor.author	McNeil, MJ	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Kamal, AH	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Currow, DC https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1988-1250	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Abernethy, AP	en_US
dc.date.issued	2015-01-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	The Lancet Oncology, 2015, 16 (7), pp. e333 - e341	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1470-2045	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/118604
dc.description.abstract	© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. Polypharmacy is a well known problem in elderly patients in general, but its prevalence and effects in patients with cancer are less clear, particularly in end-of-life settings. This Review examines the existing literature on polypharmacy in advanced cancer and end-of-life settings by reviewing evidence-based approaches to reduce polypharmacy, and outlining the potential benefits of decreasing the number of drugs that patients with cancer can take, with emphasis on the need for thoughtful discontinuation initiatives in the context of life-limiting malignant disease. In view of the apparent burden of polypharmacy in patients with advanced cancer, we expect that greater attention to polypharmacy could lead to improvements in adverse drug events, cost, and possibly quality of life. However, few data for specific interventions in the advanced cancer population are available, and thus more research is warranted.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	The Lancet Oncology	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/S1470-2045(15)00080-7	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Neoplasms	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Antineoplastic Agents	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Treatment Outcome	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Polypharmacy	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Terminal Care	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Geriatric Assessment	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Risk Assessment	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Survival Analysis	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Case-Control Studies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Evidence-Based Medicine	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Quality of Life	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Aged	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Aged, 80 and over	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Drug Utilization	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Male	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions	en_US
dc.title	Polypharmacy in patients with advanced cancer and the role of medication discontinuation	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	7	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	16	en_US
utslib.for	1112 Oncology and Carcinogenesis	en_US
utslib.for	1115 Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/IMPACCT
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	7	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	16	en_US

Abstract:

© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. Polypharmacy is a well known problem in elderly patients in general, but its prevalence and effects in patients with cancer are less clear, particularly in end-of-life settings. This Review examines the existing literature on polypharmacy in advanced cancer and end-of-life settings by reviewing evidence-based approaches to reduce polypharmacy, and outlining the potential benefits of decreasing the number of drugs that patients with cancer can take, with emphasis on the need for thoughtful discontinuation initiatives in the context of life-limiting malignant disease. In view of the apparent burden of polypharmacy in patients with advanced cancer, we expect that greater attention to polypharmacy could lead to improvements in adverse drug events, cost, and possibly quality of life. However, few data for specific interventions in the advanced cancer population are available, and thus more research is warranted.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/118604