Social Workers Are Underutilized in Oncologic Pain Management
Expertise in the use of nonpharmacologic pain management techniques and therapies allow masters-prepared social workers to be an integral member of a multidisciplinary cancer care team.
Cancer Pain
![Still routinely prescribed to manage chronic pain, opioids are oftentimes overused, misused, or abused by patients. These behaviors are associated with a number of adverse effects, the most serious of which, respiratory depression, can result in death. Affectively dysregulated patients may associate negative emotions with recurrent opioid use through operant learning. [9] It is therefore imperative to prevent, identify, and manage opioid misuse in those patients, and seek to adopt of multi-dimensional approach to the treatment of chronic pain. Numerous initiatives have been initiated, aiming to guide healthcare practitioners in face of the opioid epidemic.](https://1tvlpc3ybbcb2e1tavrfrmg1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2019/01/drugsspilledoutts509483224_1104058-544x306.jpg)
Opioid-Related Deaths Less Likely Among Cancer Patients
Opioid-related deaths in the cancer population are much rarer than in the general population.
Improving Cancer Pain Management Amid the Opioid Crisis
Research into opioid alternatives for cancer-related pain has stalled, however substance use disorders remain problematic.
Strontium89 Now Available for Relief of Metastatic Bone Pain
Strontium89 (Strontium Chloride Sr-89 injection), a radiopharmaceutical indicated for the relief of bone pain in patients with painful skeletal metastases, has been made available by Q BioMed.
Acupuncture, Acupressure May Lower Chronic Cancer Pain Intensity
The use of acupuncture and/or acupressure is associated with reduced cancer pain and decreased use of analgesics.
Factors Predict Adverse Opioid-Related Outcomes in Cancer Survivors
Among cancer survivors, demographic, cancer, and treatment factors can predict adverse opioid-related outcomes.
Increase in Gabapentinoid Use Noted Among Adults With Cancer
Between 2005 and 2015, there was a more than twofold increase in the percentage of adults with cancer using gabapentinoids.
High Prevalence of Chronic Pain in Cancer Survivors
Patients who survive cancer may have a higher prevalence of chronic pain compared with the general population.
Pain Associated With Quality of Life and Survival for Patients With Recurrent Ovarian Cancer
Researchers sought to analyze how pain management affects quality of life and overall survival for patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.
Younger Patients With Colorectal Cancer More Likely to Present With Abdominal Pain
Younger patients with colorectal cancer are more likely to present with abdominal pain and via an emergency.
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