Personalized medicine for cancer treatment

Evaluating the Implementation of Personalized Medicine for Optimal Drug Therapy in Cancer Patients: A Prospective Longitudinal Trial

Observational London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute OR Lawson Research Institute of St. Joseph's · NCT05830279

This study is testing if personalized medicine recommendations can improve how well antidepressants, pain medications, and anti-nausea drugs work for cancer patients by looking at their genetic makeup and medication interactions.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment600 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorLondon Health Sciences Centre Research Institute OR Lawson Research Institute of St. Joseph's Academic / other
Drugs / interventionschemotherapy
Locations1 site (London, Ontario)
Trial IDNCT05830279 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This observational study aims to evaluate the impact of personalized medicine recommendations on the pharmacogenetic variations and drug interactions affecting the effectiveness and toxicity of antidepressants, pain medications, and antiemetics in cancer patients. Participants will be assigned to one of three cohorts based on their prescribed medications and will undergo pharmacogenetic testing and drug-drug interaction analysis. The study will assess drug concentration and therapeutic effectiveness before and six months after the recommendations are provided, utilizing patient-reported outcomes to measure symptoms of depression, pain, and chemotherapy-induced nausea/vomiting.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include adult cancer patients aged 18 and older who are prescribed chemotherapy and taking specific antidepressants, analgesics, or antiemetics.

Not a fit: Patients receiving palliative care or those taking antidepressants for reasons other than depression or anxiety may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to more effective and safer medication regimens for cancer patients, improving their quality of life.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promise in using pharmacogenetic approaches to optimize medication therapy in cancer patients, indicating potential success for this study.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 18 years or older
* Prescribed a chemotherapy medication
* Currently taking one or more study medications (citalopram, escitalopram, venlafaxine, desvenlafaxine, codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, tramadol or ondansetron)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients who are unable to complete study materials (surveys) with or without assistance, including non-English speaking patients
* Patients receiving palliative care
* Patients taking anti-depressants for reason other than depression or anxiety, i.e. hot flash (Only applies to antidepressant cohort)
* Patients with preexisting major depressive disorder prior to cancer diagnosis (Only applies to antidepressant cohort)

Where this trial is running

London, Ontario

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Nausea With Vomiting Chemotherapy-InducedDepression, ReactiveCancer PainPersonalized medicinePharmacogeneticsTherapeutic drug monitoring
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.