New tool Helps identify Risky Medications for Older Cancer Patients
A new tool, the GO-PIMs scale, is helping oncologists identify possibly inappropriate medications (GO-PIMs) prescribed to older adults undergoing cancer treatment, with research showing a link between these medications and increased frailty, hospitalization, and even mortality. A recent study published in the Journal of the National Extensive Cancer Network found that 38% of patients were prescribed at least one GO-PIM, with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) being the most common.
The research demonstrated that each additional GO-PIM was associated with a 66% increase in the odds of a patient being mildly or moderately-to-severely frail at the time of diagnosis. Researchers emphasize that this confirms the GO-PIMs tool’s ability to pinpoint medications that can negatively impact patient outcomes.
“This research is about making treatment safer and more tolerable – especially for older adults who are already vulnerable to adverse events,” explained dr. Jennifer La of Harvard Medical school and the VA Boston Cooperative Studies Program Center, the study’s lead author. The study revealed that many patients receive chronic and supportive care medications that may cause more harm than benefit, notably when managing complex health issues.
Senior author Dr. Clark DuMontier, also of Harvard Medical School and VA Boston/Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, highlighted the need for routine medication reviews by oncology teams. “We need to look closely at which medications might be risky, not just count the number of drugs,” he stated. He envisions integrating tools like GO-PIMs into electronic health records to automatically flag potentially concerning prescriptions, encouraging a careful weighing of risks and benefits and consideration of safer alternatives or deprescribing. His team is currently piloting this approach in their local clinic.
An independent expert, Dr. Mostafa Mohamed of the University of Rochester Medical Center, commented that a cancer diagnosis is an opportune time to reassess medication safety, given the often complex treatment regimens and increased clinical contact older adults experience. He praised the study’s use of a cancer-specific pims framework (GO-PIMs) derived from NCCN Guidelines in a real-world national setting.
“this research underscores the prospect to improve care by addressing medication-related risks,” Dr.Mohamed stated. “The next step is integrating tools like GO-PIMs into everyday practise, not only to flag high-risk medications, but also to support actionable changes in treatment planning and patient care.”
Source: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. La, J., et al. (2025) Potentially inappropriate Medications, Frailty, and Outcomes in Patients With Cancer Managed in a National Health Care System. Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer network. doi.org/10.6004/jnccn.2025.7051.
