American Cancer Society Journals shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Declines in Opioid Prescribing for Cancer Patients.
A new study in Cancer finds that opioid prescribing for patients with cancer decreased modestly from 2016 to 2020. Notably, the most significant reductions were observed among patients with metastatic disease who reported no pain.
These trends emerge as clinicians balance two critical priorities: ensuring effective cancer pain management and responding to the ongoing US opioid epidemic. Importantly, the results suggest prescribing patterns reflect patient needs, rather than undertreatment.
‘Our study shows that declines in opioid prescribing for patients with cancer appear to reflect clinical judgment and context,’ said lead author Laura Van Metre Baum, of Yale School of Medicine at the time of the study, now at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
The study underscores the importance of supporting individualized approaches to cancer pain management and continuing to ask how best to ensure equitable, effective care for all patients.
Read the full article.
Full author list: Laura Van Metre Baum, MD, MPH, Pamela Soulos, MPH, Madhav KC, PhD, MPH, Molly Jeffery, PhD, Kathryn Ruddy, MD, MPH, Catherine Lerro, PhD, MPH, Hana Lee, PhD, MS, David Graham, MD, MPH, Donna Rivera, MD, MPH, Mark Liberatore, MD, Michael Leapman, MD, Vikram Jairam, MD, Michaela A. Dinan, MD, Cary Gross, MD, Henry S. Park, MD, MPH”
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