Lorazepam significantly reduces agitation in patients with advanced cancer and delirium
MD Anderson Research Highlight July 31, 2025
Many patients with advanced cancer are significantly impacted by agitated delirium, but there are conflicting results on treating this condition with medication. To provide insights, , and colleagues examined the effects of different medications on treating delirium in 111 patients with advanced cancers. The researchers examined patient responses to haloperidol and lorazepam ¨C both separately and combined ¨C compared to a placebo, with patients receiving scheduled doses every four hours. Early results from the NIH-funded Phase II trial were presented at the 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress. Follow-up results show that lorazepam, alone or with haloperidol, significantly reduced agitation more than haloperidol alone or a placebo. Patients treated with lorazepam separately or in combination with haloperidol also required fewer extra doses to calm breakthrough agitation. These findings suggest that lorazepam may be a more effective option for managing agitation in patients with advanced cancer. Learn more in JAMA Oncology.
This study provides unique data to inform the practice of proportional sedation on persistent agitated delirium, identifying three potential therapeutic strategies to personalize care for patients suffering from this delirium near the end of life.