The impact of pharmacist-led medication therapy management on the efficacy of cancer pain control: a pre-post interventional study

BACKGROUND: Cancer pain remains a prevalent and debilitating symptom among patients with advanced malignancies, significantly compromising quality of life. While clinical guidelines for pain management exist, real-world challenges such as polypharmacy, poor adherence, and drug-related problems (DRPs) hinder effective treatment. Pharmacist-led Medication Therapy Management (MTM) offers a structured approach to address these challenges, but its role in cancer pain management remains underexplored. AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of pharmacist-led MTM on cancer pain management. METHODS: A pre-post interventional study was conducted using the MTM services implemented in January 2023. RESULTS: A total of 246 patients were included in the pre-MTM group (n = 100) and MTM (n = 146) groups. Pharmacist-led MTM was associated with better cancer pain score at 30-day follow-up (3.85 ± 1.07 VS 4.85 ± 1.47, P < 0.001) and greater reduction in pain scores (1.92 ± 0.84 VS 2.81 ± 1.21, P < 0.001) compared to the pre-MTM group. In Additional, the MTM effectively identified and resolved the DRPs, achieving a resolution rate of 73.81%. A lower incidence of adverse drug reactions, including constipation, nausea, and vomiting, was observed in the MTM group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, pharmacist-led MTM was associated with a higher proportion of patients with high medication adherence, with 67.81% in the MTM group compared with 45% in the pre-MTM group (P < 0.001). Pharmacist-led MTM was associated with higher patient satisfaction with treatment (4.71 ± 1.14 vs. 3.04 ± 2.07, P < 0.001) and follow-up (3.92 ± 1.76 vs. 3.46 ± 1.70, P = 0.02) compared with the pre-MTM group. CONCLUSION: Pharmacist-led MTM plays a crucial role in optimizing cancer pain management by reducing DRPs, improving adherence, minimizing adverse drug reactions, and enhancing patient satisfaction. It is an essential component of comprehensive, individualized care that ultimately improves the clinical outcomes and quality of life of patients with cancer.