Researchers conducted a population study of the opioid epidemic in order to investigate whether the rising rate of the opioid-related deaths in cancer survivors is the same as that in the general population. In 2016, death of more than 40,000 people in the US were reported to be correlated with opioids; the epidemic tops public health concerns. Treatment of cancer-associated pain often involves opioids, and oncologists are thus emphasized to be more informed concerning opioid-related risks and benefits.
More than 40 000 people in the US died owing to opioids in 2016; the epidemic tops public health concerns. Opioids are commonly used for cancer-associated pain, and there has been a call for oncologists to become more aware of opioid-related risks and benefits.1 It is unknown, however, if opioid-related deaths in cancer survivors are rising at the same rate as in the general population.