Long-Term Opioid Use After Radiation Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Clinical Implications

Highlight

• Approximately 70% of patients with head and neck cancer continued opioid use at 3 months post-radiation or chemoradiation, with nearly half still using opioids at 6 months.
• Key factors associated with persistent opioid use include prior opioid use, former smoking status, and referral to palliative care.
• Among opioid-naive patients prior to radiation, those who were underweight or referred to palliative care experienced earlier initiation of opioid use.
• Findings emphasize the critical need for targeted opioid stewardship programs balancing effective pain management with minimizing long-term dependency.

Study Background