Persistent Opioid Use High in Head, Neck Cancer Patients

[rangerrebew]

Persistent Opioid Use High in Head, Neck Cancer Patients

FRIDAY, Jan. 11, 2019 -- Persistent opioid use at three and six months remains high among patients undergoing treatment for head and neck squamous cell cancer, according to a study recently published in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Jessica D. McDermott, M.D., from the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine in Aurora, and colleagues used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare database (2008 to 2011) to identify 976 nondistant metastatic oral cavity and oropharynx patients undergoing treatment.


https://www.drugs.com/news/persistent-opioid-head-neck-cancer-patients-79679.html
The researchers found that 83.1 percent of patien

[Sanguine]

There was an association between prescriptions prior to treatment and opioid use during treatment (odds ratio, 3.28). Tobacco use (odds ratios, 2.23 and 3.84) and opioids prescribed prior to treatment (odds ratios, 3.84 and 3.56) were risk factors associated with continued opioid use at three and six months, respectively.

[GtHawk]

Shocking! Absolutely shocking,

who would have ever believed that people in extreme pain would be using opioids for pain relief!