Opioid Prescribing Is Higher Among Cancer Survivors vs General Population

Rates of opioid prescribing are significantly higher among cancer survivors, even after survivorship, according to a recent study. Factors associated with higher prescribing are younger age, lower income, rural neighborhoods, more comorbidities, and a time lapse of 10 years or more post-diagnosis.

Little research has explored opioid prescribing among patients who have survived cancer.
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Starting in 2010, the researchers evaluated patients aged 18 to 64 years in Ontario, Canada, who were at least 5 years past their cancer diagnosis (n = 8601). Patients were matched with controls without a prior cancer diagnosis based on sex and calendar year of birth (n = 8601). Follow-up ended at any point of cancer recurrence, second malignancy, or new cancer diagnosis.

An Andersen-Gill recurrent event regression model was used to assess the association between survivorship and the rate of opioid prescription. Results were adjusted for numerous individual-level characteristics.

Results indicated that the rate of opioid prescribing was 1.22 times higher among cancer survivors, compared with controls. Prescribing rates were highest among patients from lower income quintiles who were younger, were from rural neighborhoods, and had more comorbidities. These results were consistent among cancer survivors who were 10 or more years past their cancer diagnosis.

“This study demonstrates substantially higher opioid prescribing rates among cancer survivors, even long after attaining survivorship,” the researchers concluded. “This raises concerns about the diagnosis and management of chronic pain problems among survivors stemming from their cancer diagnosis or treatment.”

—Christina Vogt

Reference:

Sutradhar R, Lokku A, Barbera L. Cancer survivorship and opioid prescribing rates: a population-based matched cohort study among individuals with and without a history of cancer [Published online August 7, 2017]. Cancer. doi:10.1002/cncr.30839.