NCT03012971

Brief Summary

A majority of the elderly patients undergo surgery for malignant tumors. For these patients, postoperative tumor recurrence and metastasis are main factors that worsen long-term outcomes. The investigators hypothesize that dexmedetomidine supplemented analgesia in elderly patients after cancer surgery may help to maintain immune function and improve long-term outcomes, possibly by relieving stress and inflammatory response, improving analgesic efficacy and sleep quality, and reducing delirium incidence.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
1,500

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Jan 2017

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

12 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

December 31, 2016

Completed
6 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

January 6, 2017

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

January 6, 2017

Completed
7.9 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

December 11, 2024

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 11, 2024

Completed
Last Updated

January 8, 2026

Status Verified

January 1, 2026

Enrollment Period

7.9 years

First QC Date

December 31, 2016

Last Update Submit

January 6, 2026

Conditions

Keywords

ElderlySurgeryAnalgesiaDexmedetomidineLong-term outcome

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Overall survival after surgery

    Overall survival is defined as time interval from index surgery to all-cause death after surgery.

    Up to 7 years after surgery

Secondary Outcomes (5)

  • Recurrence-free survival after surgery

    Up to 7 years after surgery

  • Cancer-specific survival after surgery

    Up to 7 years after surgery

  • Event-free survival after surgery

    Up to 7 years after surgery

  • Cognitive function of survival patients at 1 and 2 years after surgery

    At the end of 1 and 2 years after surgery

  • Quality of life of survival patients at 1 and 2 years after surgery

    At the end of 1 and 2 years after surgery

Study Arms (2)

Dexmedetomidine group

EXPERIMENTAL

Dexmedetomidine supplemented morphine analgesia is provided for patients in this group in the form of patient-controlled intravenous analgesia. The formula contains a mixture of morphine (0.5 mg/ml) and dexmedetomidine (1.25 ug/ml), diluted with normal saline to a total volume of 160 ml. 5-HT3 receptor antagonist is added when necessary. The analgesic pump is set to administer a background infusion at a rate of 1 ml/h, with patient-controlled bolus of 2 ml each time and a lockout time from 6 to 8 minutes.

Drug: Dexmedetomidine supplemented morphine analgesia

Control group

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Morphine analgesia is provided for patients in this group in the form of patient-controlled intravenous analgesia. The formula contains morphine (0.5 mg/ml), diluted with normal saline to a total volume of 160 ml. 5-HT3 receptor antagonist is added when necessary. The analgesic pump is set to administer a background infusion at a rate of 1 ml/h, with patient-controlled bolus of 2 ml each time and a lockout time from 6 to 8 minutes.

Drug: Morphine analgesia

Interventions

Patients in this group receive patient-controlled intravenous analgesia for 3 days after surgery. The formula is a mixture of dexmedetomidine (1.25 ug/ml) and morphine (0.5 mg/ml), diluted with normal saline to 160 ml. 5-HT3 receptor antagonist is added when necessary. The analgesic pump is set to administer a background infusion at a rate of 1 ml/h, with a bolus dose of 2 ml at each time and a lockout time from 6 to 8 minutes.

Dexmedetomidine group

Patients in this group receive patient-controlled intravenous analgesia for 3 days after surgery. The formula is morphine (0.5 mg/ml), diluted with normal saline to 160 ml. 5-HT3 receptor antagonist is added when necessary. The analgesic pump is set to administer a background infusion at a rate of 1 ml/h, with a bolus dose of 2 ml at each time and a lockout time from 6 to 8 minutes.

Control group

Eligibility Criteria

Age65 Years - 90 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsOlder Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Age \>= 65 years, \< 90 years;
  • Scheduled to undergo curative resection for primary solid organ cancer under general anesthesia, with an expected duration of surgery \>=2 hours;
  • Planned to use patient-controlled intravenous analgesia after surgery;
  • Provide written informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

  • Preoperative history of schizophrenia, epilepsy, parkinsonism or myasthenia gravis;
  • Preoperative radio- or chemotherapy;
  • Inability to communicate in the preoperative period because of coma, profound dementia or language barrier;
  • Preoperative obstructive sleep apnea (previously diagnosed as obstructive sleep apnea, or a STOP-Bang score \>= 3 and serum HCO3- \>= 28 mmol/L);
  • Brain trauma or neurosurgery;
  • Preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction \< 30%, sick sinus syndrome, severe sinus bradycardia (\< 50 beats per minute), or second-degree or above atrioventricular block without pacemaker;
  • Severe hepatic dysfunction (Child-Pugh class C) or severe renal dysfunction (requirement of renal replacement therapy before surgery);
  • ASA classification \>= IV.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (12)

Peking University First Hospital

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100034, China

Location

Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100091, China

Location

Peking University International Hospital , , China, Contact:

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 102206, China

Location

Chongqing University Fuling Hospital

Chongqing, Chongqing Municipality, 408099, China

Location

Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital , China, Contact:

Guiyang, Guizhou, 550002, China

Location

Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University

Baoding, Hebei, 050031, China

Location

The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University

Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China

Location

The Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University

Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710038, China

Location

Qingdao Municipal Hospital , , China, Contact:

Qingdao, Shandong, 266011, China

Location

Shanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital , China, Contact:

Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030013, China

Location

Tianjin Hospital of ITCWM-Nankai Hospital

Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality, 300100, China

Location

The Third Central Hospital of Tianjin

Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality, 300170, China

Location

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MeSH Terms

Conditions

Agnosia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Perceptual DisordersNeurobehavioral ManifestationsNeurologic ManifestationsNervous System DiseasesSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

  • Dong-Xin Wang, MD, PhD

    Peking University First Hospital

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
PREVENTION
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Professor and Chairman, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

December 31, 2016

First Posted

January 6, 2017

Study Start

January 6, 2017

Primary Completion

December 11, 2024

Study Completion

December 11, 2024

Last Updated

January 8, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations