A retrospective analysis of repurposing antidepressants in cancer
Research type
Research Database
IRAS ID
360090
Contact name
Farideh Javid
Contact email
Research summary
A retrospective analysis of repurposing antidepressants in cancer using PPM & EPR at CHFT
REC name
East Midlands - Derby Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/EM/0264
Date of REC Opinion
2 Mar 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion
Data collection arrangements
The patient population will be taken from patients receiving systemic anticancer therapy for GI, lung, breast and prostate cancer patients from January 2020-May 2025.The patients’ electronic records will be reviewed once at their respective Trust to collect the data. We will collect data from both patients who have received a prescription for fluoxetine since their cancer diagnosis and from those who have received no such prescription. We hope to enrol collect data from 1000 and 5000 patients. Patient identifiable information will not be included in the data collection or analysis and we will not collect or sensitive data, but will collect variables including the patient’s age at diagnosis, gender, ethnicity, family history, if they have a staged cancer diagnosis, if they are prescribed an antidepressant, if they have received anticancer treatment, including type of drug, dosage, duration, or anticancer therapy. Data will be collected by hospital staff and transferred to the University of Huddersfield for analysis. All investigators will participate in interpreting the data.
Research programme
Cancer incidence is rising, with 1 in 2 people in the UK expected to develop the disease in their lifetime. A major challenge in chemotherapy is the toxicity of cancer drugs to healthy cells, leading to severe side effects and increased demand on healthcare services. Reducing drug doses while maintaining efficacy could lessen side effects, highlighting the need for novel or adjunct therapies. Drug repurposing offers a faster route to cancer treatment, as safety profiles are already established. Recent research by Dr. Javid demonstrated that fluoxetine, an antidepressant, induces apoptosis in colon cancer cells without affecting normal cells. Subsequent studies, including one at Stanford University, confirmed fluoxetine’s anti-cancer potential and suggested improved survival when combined with chemotherapy. This project proposes a retrospective analysis of medical records from patients with gastrointestinal, lung, breast, and prostate cancers to compare outcomes between those who received antidepressants during anticancer treatment and those who did not. The study will involve hospital staff, including Dr. Milly Finch, an oncologist consultant pharmacist, and Dr. John Stephenson, a biostatistician at the university who will contribute to study design and data interpretation. Approximately 5,000 patient records will be analysed using AI to refine data collection, focusing on tumour response, survival outcomes, chemotherapy dosages, and adverse effect frequency. Findings will guide future clinical trials evaluating antidepressants as adjunct therapies.
Research database title
A retrospective analysis of repurposing antidepressants in cancer using PPM & EPR at CHFT
Establishment organisation
Department of Pharmacy, University of Huddersfield
Establishment organisation address
University of Huddersfield, HD1 3DH
Huddersfield
HD1 3DH