Table 2.

Characteristics of included studies, *median

Study ID	Country	Number of participants	Design	Treatment	Males-to-females ratio (%/%)	Mean age (SD or range)	Duration	Cancer type	Previous treatment	Summarized effects of donepezil treatment
Rapp 2024	USA	276	Placebo-controlled RTC	Single daily 5 mg for 6 weeks, escalated to single daily 10 mg for 18 weeks	0/100	57.1 (10.5)	Up to 24 weeks	Breast	≥ 4 cycles of adjuvant/neoadjuvant cytotoxic chemotherapy 1–5 years before enrollment	No significant effect on memory, cognitive function, or subjective cognitive function compared to placebo
Lawrance 2015	USA	62	Placebo-controlled RTC	Single daily 5 mg for 6 weeks, escalated to single daily 10 mg for 18 weeks	0/100	55.8 (39–79)	Up to 36 weeks	Breast	> 4 cycles of adjuvant/neoadjuvant cytotoxic chemotherapy 1–5 years before enrollment	Improved verbal memory and executive function in patients with poorer baseline cognitive performance compared to placebo
Bruera 2003	USA	27	Observational	Single daily 5 mg	33.3/66.7	52*(24–75)	1 week	Hematological, gastrointestinal, lung, head and neck, breast	N/A, during study patients were given oral morphine-equivalent daily dose of 180 mg per day	Significantly improved sedation, fatigue, well-being, anxiety, and constipation in cancer patients receiving opioids
Bruera 2007	USA	142	Placebo-controlled RTC	Single daily 5 mg	35.2/64.8	56 (12.2)	1 week	Breast, gynecologic, gastrointestinal, lung, and others	N/A	Not superior to placebo in the management of cancer-related fatigue