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What is the Frequency of Opioid Abuse in Cancer Patients?

With the opioid crisis claiming so many lives, physicians need to be especially careful prescribing these drugs. However, for many patients with cancer who are in a lot of pain, opioids can be a necessary part of treatment. So how can physicians determine predictors and frequency of opioid abuse in this population? A study now published in JAMA Oncology found that marital status, higher levels of pain, high scores on the Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain (SOAPP), and morphine...

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Invasive Lung Cancer Surgery Linked to Long-Term Opioid Use

A new study has demonstrated that patients undergoing more invasive surgery for early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are more likely to become chronic opioid users than patients who undergo minimally invasive surgery for the same condition. Surgery for early-stage lung cancer often results in persistent pain, which can be debilitatingly intense for approximately 10% of patients. It is considered standard of care to prescribe opioids immediately after surgery with the intention of contr...

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Avoiding Narcotics in Post-Surgery Cancer Pain Management

​Opioid addiction, which is currently so widespread that it amounts to a national crisis, often starts with the legitimate use of prescription pain medication after surgery or as a result of another medical condition. For this reason, it is essential to develop non-narcotic strategies to handle pain. A team of researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania did just that, designing a program that successfully managed post-surgery pain for patients with urolo...

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