Trial results for a study evaluating a bundled behavioral activation and medication optimization for improving perioperative mental health in older adults undergoing oncologic surgery were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2026-03-31. The intervention group showed a PHQ-ADS score of 9.39 compared to 12.65 in the usual care group in the final reported measurement.
Background
Depression and anxiety are significant concerns for older adults, particularly those undergoing major oncologic surgery. Addressing perioperative mental health in this vulnerable population is crucial for overall well-being and recovery. The study aimed to test the effectiveness of a bundled behavioral activation and medication optimization strategy to mitigate these symptoms in older adults undergoing oncologic surgery.
Trial design
This completed Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness-Implementation randomized control trial (RCT) enrolled 105 participants. The study focused on Older Adults experiencing Anxiety and Depression who were undergoing Major Surgical Resection of a Thoracic Malignancy or Major Surgical Resection of an Abdominal Malignancy. It compared a bundled intervention of behavioral activation and medication optimization against usual care, with the goal of reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Key results
The trial reported several least squares mean PHQ-ADS scores for depression and anxiety symptoms:
- Measurement Set 1:
- Intervention Bundle (Behavioral Activation + Medication Optimization): 18.35 points (Standard Error 1.35)
- Usual Care: 16.67 points (Standard Error 1.52)
- Total: 17.51 points (Standard Error 1.14)
- Measurement Set 2:
- Intervention Bundle (Behavioral Activation + Medication Optimization): 10.95 points (Standard Error 1.37)
- Usual Care: 12.52 points (Standard Error 1.53)
- Total: 11.74 points (Standard Error 1.15)
- Measurement Set 3:
- Intervention Bundle (Behavioral Activation + Medication Optimization): 9.39 points (Standard Error 1.40)
- Usual Care: 12.65 points (Standard Error 1.52)
- Total: 11.02 points (Standard Error 1.16)
What this means
The posted results present varying least squares mean PHQ-ADS scores across different measurements. While one set of measurements showed a higher score in the intervention group (18.35 vs 16.67), two other sets indicated lower scores in the intervention group, suggesting a potential reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms. Specifically, the final reported measurement showed the intervention bundle group with a PHQ-ADS score of 9.39 (Standard Error 1.40) compared to 12.65 (Standard Error 1.52) in the usual care group. This suggests that the bundled behavioral activation and medication optimization strategy may offer benefits for older adults experiencing depression and anxiety during oncologic surgery, though further context on the different measurement sets would clarify the overall impact.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT05685511, titled "Behavioral Activation and Medication Optimization For Improving Perioperative Mental Health In Older Adults Undergoing Oncologic Surgery", were posted on 2026-03-31 on clinicaltrials.gov.