Effect of Opioids on Survival in Patients with Cancer
Opioids are commonly used for pain management in patients with cancer. They have a range of unwanted effects, including some that potentially influence cancer growth. This article reviews the data assessing the effects of opioids on survival in patients with cancer. Many studies assessing this show...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/14/22/5720 |
| _version_ | 1797465727818530816 |
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| author | Jason W. Boland |
| author_facet | Jason W. Boland |
| author_sort | Jason W. Boland |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Opioids are commonly used for pain management in patients with cancer. They have a range of unwanted effects, including some that potentially influence cancer growth. This article reviews the data assessing the effects of opioids on survival in patients with cancer. Many studies assessing this show an association between opioids and decreased survival. This effect is present even at very low doses of opioids. These studies do not assess causality, so it is not known if it is a direct effect of opioids on survival. As the control groups are not matched to the opioid group it might be that opioids are being used to control pain and patients receiving opioids have more aggressive cancers and it is the underlying cancer which is causing the decreased survival. Furthermore, although some studies allude to different opioids having different effects on survival, often all opioids are pooled in analysis. Future work needs to try to ascertain causality and differentiate between different opioids, pain, and cancer-mediated effects on survival in specific cancer types. Until then, opioids should continue to be used in patients with cancer as part of measures to optimise comfort and quality of life. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:25:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b5c303b99e17492ca3bd8ca9faea4634 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:25:40Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-b5c303b99e17492ca3bd8ca9faea46342023-11-24T07:55:37ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942022-11-011422572010.3390/cancers14225720Effect of Opioids on Survival in Patients with CancerJason W. Boland0Wolfson Palliative Care Research Centre, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UKOpioids are commonly used for pain management in patients with cancer. They have a range of unwanted effects, including some that potentially influence cancer growth. This article reviews the data assessing the effects of opioids on survival in patients with cancer. Many studies assessing this show an association between opioids and decreased survival. This effect is present even at very low doses of opioids. These studies do not assess causality, so it is not known if it is a direct effect of opioids on survival. As the control groups are not matched to the opioid group it might be that opioids are being used to control pain and patients receiving opioids have more aggressive cancers and it is the underlying cancer which is causing the decreased survival. Furthermore, although some studies allude to different opioids having different effects on survival, often all opioids are pooled in analysis. Future work needs to try to ascertain causality and differentiate between different opioids, pain, and cancer-mediated effects on survival in specific cancer types. Until then, opioids should continue to be used in patients with cancer as part of measures to optimise comfort and quality of life.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/14/22/5720opioidsurvivalneoplasmscancerimmunepain |
| spellingShingle | Jason W. Boland Effect of Opioids on Survival in Patients with Cancer Cancers opioid survival neoplasms cancer immune pain |
| title | Effect of Opioids on Survival in Patients with Cancer |
| title_full | Effect of Opioids on Survival in Patients with Cancer |
| title_fullStr | Effect of Opioids on Survival in Patients with Cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of Opioids on Survival in Patients with Cancer |
| title_short | Effect of Opioids on Survival in Patients with Cancer |
| title_sort | effect of opioids on survival in patients with cancer |
| topic | opioid survival neoplasms cancer immune pain |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/14/22/5720 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jasonwboland effectofopioidsonsurvivalinpatientswithcancer |