Overview

• The JNCCN study evaluated the GO-PIMs scale, a cancer-specific list derived from NCCN Older Adult Oncology guidance, using national VA Cancer Registry data.
• Records for more than 380,000 veterans diagnosed between 2000 and 2022 showed that 38% received at least one GO-PIM, with SSRIs the most common.
• Each additional GO-PIM was associated with a 66% higher odds of being mildly or moderately-to-severely frail at the time of cancer diagnosis.
• The authors reported associations between GO-PIM exposure and higher rates of hospitalizations and death, emphasizing careful risk–benefit review and deprescribing where appropriate.
• Investigators said they are piloting GO-PIMs in a local clinic and highlighted potential integration into electronic health records to flag high-risk prescriptions.