Opioid Use Drops among Cancer Patients at End of Life

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#"> <head> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge"> <meta charset="utf-8" /> <script>window.CDEConfig = { "exitDisclaimerHref":{ "en":"\/policies\/linking", "es":"\/espanol\/politicas\/enlaces" }, "showFloatingDelighters":true, "environmentConfig":{ }, "glossaryConfig":{ "apiServer":"https:\/\/webapis.cancer.gov\/glossary\/v1\/" }, "drugDictionaryConfig":{ "apiServer":"https:\/\/webapis.cancer.gov\/drugdictionary\/v1\/" }, "ctsConfig":{ "apiServer":"https:\/\/clinicaltrialsapi.cancer.gov\/api\/v2", "printApiBase":"https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/CTS.Print", "zipConversionEndpoint":"\/cts_api\/zip_code_lookup" }, "r4rConfig":{ "apiServer":"https:\/\/webapis.cancer.gov\/r4r\/v1" }, "general":{ "apiServer":"https:\/\/webapis.cancer.gov", "mediaServer":"https:\/\/nci-media.cancer.gov" }, "sitewideSearchConfig":{ "bestBetsApiServer":"https:\/\/webapis.cancer.gov\/bestbets\/v1\/", "searchApiServer":"https:\/\/webapis.cancer.gov\/sitewidesearch\/v1\/" }, "chartData": { "factBook": { "baseUrl": "\/about-nci\/budget\/fact-book", "dataType": "json" } } };</script> <script id="ncids-nav-info">window.ncidsNavInfo = { nav: { id: "860258", menu_type: "section-nav"}, item_id: 860258};</script> <meta name="description" content="People with cancer nearing the end of their lives are not getting needed opioids to control their pain, a new study indicates. Among people with cancer in the last month of their lives, filled prescriptions for opioids dropped during the study period and the number of emergency room visits for pain increased dramatically." /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/opioids-cancer-pain-end-of-life" /> <meta http-equiv="content-language" content="en" /> <meta name="robots" content="index" /> <meta property="og:type" content="Website" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/opioids-cancer-pain-end-of-life" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Opioid Use Drops among Cancer Patients at End of Life" /> <meta property="og:description" content="People with cancer nearing the end of their lives are not getting needed opioids to control their pain, a new study indicates. Among people with cancer in the last month of their lives, filled prescriptions for opioids dropped during the study period and the number of emergency room visits for pain increased dramatically." /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.cancer.gov/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/styles/cgov_social_media/public/cgov_image/media_image/2021-08/Nurse%20with%20male%20patient%20EOL.jpg" /> <meta name="cgdp.domain" content="cgov" /> <meta name="cgdp.template" content="default" /> <meta name="dcterms.subject" content="News and Events" /> <meta name="dcterms.type" content="cgvBlogPost" /> <meta name="dcterms.coverage" content="nciglobal,ncienterprise" /> <meta name="dcterms.isPartOf" content="CancerCurrents" /> <meta name="dcterms.isReferencedBy" content="event1,event53" /> <meta name="dcterms.issued" content="08/20/2021 - 08:00" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary" /> <link rel="icon" href="https://www.cancer.gov/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/cgov/static/images/design-elements/icons/favicons/favicon.ico" sizes="32x32"/> <link rel="icon" href="https://www.cancer.gov/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/cgov/static/images/design-elements/icons/favicons/favicon.svg" type="image/svg+xml"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="https://www.cancer.gov/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/cgov/static/images/design-elements/icons/favicons/apple-touch-icon.png"/> <link rel="manifest" href="https://www.cancer.gov/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/cgov/static/images/design-elements/icons/favicons/site.webmanifest"/> <meta name="x-no-op" content="none" /> <meta name="Generator" content="Drupal 10 (https://www.drupal.org)" /> <meta name="MobileOptimized" content="width" /> <meta name="HandheldFriendly" content="true" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, user-scalable=yes, initial-scale=1, minimum-scale=1" /> <script id="cgov-adobe-url" type="text/javascript" src="//assets.adobedtm.com/6a4249cd0a2c/949e98979342/launch-5f2a5357bf66.min.js" async="async"></script> <script type="application/ld+json">{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebSite", "name": "National Cancer Institute (.gov)", "url": "https://www.cancer.gov" } ] }</script> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/opioids-cancer-pain-end-of-life" /> <link rel="alternate" hreflang="es" href="https://www.cancer.gov/espanol/noticias/temas-y-relatos-blog/2021/opioides-dolor-por-cancer-final-de-la-vida" /> <title>Opioid Use Drops among Cancer Patients at End of Life - NCI</title> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://static.cancer.gov" /> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin> <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Open+Sans:ital,wght@0,300;0,400;0,600;0,700;1,300;1,400;1,600;1,700&family=Poppins:ital,wght@0,300;0,400;0,500;0,600;1,300;1,400;1,500;1,600&family=Roboto+Mono:ital,wght@0,300;0,400;0,700;1,300;1,400;1,700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet"> <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="Cancer.gov" /> <meta name="application-name" content="Cancer.gov" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/css/css_2MGzP4wXbQkUEoIIdFZZMVDesqPLoVgfQ4Jd23xDS6k.css?delta=0&language=en&theme=ncids_trans&include=eJxFyEEOwCAIBMAPGX1SA4WoCVXCyqG_77FzHLw4-jQmaHEK6kE-0CTSyeo_NZcn28RQKeuegusELTS23fEB1Owbrg" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/ncids_trans/dist/css/ncids-common.css?smm34w" /> <link rel="stylesheet" media="all" href="/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/ncids_trans/dist/css/blogs.css?smm34w" /> </head> <body class="has-translated-content"> <a href="#main-content" class="usa-skipnav"> Skip to main content </a> <div class="dialog-off-canvas-main-canvas" data-off-canvas-main-canvas> <section id="usa-banner" class="usa-banner" aria-label="Official government website"> <header class="usa-banner__header"> <div class="usa-banner__inner"> <div class="usa-banner__header-text"> An official website of the United States government </div> <a href="/espanol/noticias/temas-y-relatos-blog/2021/opioides-dolor-por-cancer-final-de-la-vida" id="lang-toggle" class="usa-button usa-button--nci-small" hreflang="es">Español</a> </div> </header> </section> <header id="nci-header" class="nci-header nci-header--megamenu" data-base-path="/"> <div class="nci-header__navbar"> <div class="nci-logo" id="extended-mega-logo"> <a href="/" aria-label="National Cancer Institute Home Page"> <picture><source media="(min-width: 1024px)" srcset="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/ncids_header/logos/Logo_NCI.svg" /> <img src="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/ncids_header/logos/Logo_NCI_Mobile.svg" alt="" /> </picture> </a> </div> <div class="nci-header-nav__secondary"> <button class="usa-button nci-header-mobilenav__open-btn">Menu</button> <form class="nci-header-search" method="get" action="/search/results" role="search"> <label class="usa-sr-only" for="nci-header-search__field"> Search </label> <input class="usa-input" id="nci-header-search__field" type="search" name="swKeyword" data-autosuggest-collection="cgov"/> <button class="usa-button nci-header-search__search-button" type="submit" aria-label="Search"> <span class="nci-header-search__label" aria-hidden="true">Search</span> <svg class="usa-icon" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" role="img" viewbox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"> <path d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none"/> <path d="M15.5 14h-.79l-.28-.27C15.41 12.59 16 11.11 16 9.5 16 5.91 13.09 3 9.5 3S3 5.91 3 9.5 5.91 16 9.5 16c1.61 0 3.09-.59 4.23-1.57l.27.28v.79l5 4.99L20.49 19l-4.99-5zm-6 0C7.01 14 5 11.99 5 9.5S7.01 5 9.5 5 14 7.01 14 9.5 11.99 14 9.5 14z"/> </svg> </button> </form> </div> </div> <nav aria-label="Primary navigation" class="nci-header-nav"> <div class="nci-header-nav__inner"> <ul class="nci-header-nav__primary"> <li class="nci-header-nav__primary-item"> <a href="/about-cancer" class="nci-header-nav__primary-link" data-menu-id="829"> <span>About Cancer</span> </a> </li> <li class="nci-header-nav__primary-item"> <a href="/types" class="nci-header-nav__primary-link" data-menu-id="11868"> <span>Cancer Types</span> </a> </li> <li class="nci-header-nav__primary-item"> <a href="/research" class="nci-header-nav__primary-link" data-menu-id="12732"> <span>Research</span> </a> </li> <li class="nci-header-nav__primary-item"> <a href="/grants-training" class="nci-header-nav__primary-link" data-menu-id="914792"> <span>Grants & Training</span> </a> </li> <li class="nci-header-nav__primary-item"> <a href="/news-events" class="nci-header-nav__primary-link usa-current" data-menu-id="12664"> <span>News & Events</span> </a> </li> <li class="nci-header-nav__primary-item"> <a href="/about-nci" class="nci-header-nav__primary-link" data-menu-id="10952"> <span>About NCI</span> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </nav> </header> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-row flex-no-wrap"> <div class="grid-col-10"> <nav class="usa-breadcrumb usa-breadcrumb--wrap" aria-label="Breadcrumbs"> <ol class="usa-breadcrumb__list"> <li class="usa-breadcrumb__list-item"> <a href="/" class="usa-breadcrumb__link"> <span>Home</span> </a> </li> <li class="usa-breadcrumb__list-item"> <a href="/news-events" class="usa-breadcrumb__link"> <span>News & Events</span> </a> </li> <li class="usa-breadcrumb__list-item"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog" class="usa-breadcrumb__link"> <span>Cancer Currents Blog</span> </a> </li> <li class="usa-breadcrumb__list-item usa-current" aria-current="page"> <span>Opioid Use Drops among Cancer Patients at End of Life</span> </li> </ol> </nav> </div> <section class="cgdp-page-options cgdp-page-options--top" aria-label="Page options top"> <button class="usa-button usa-button--unstyled" onclick="window.print()"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"> <path d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none"/> <path d="M19 8H5c-1.66 0-3 1.34-3 3v6h4v4h12v-4h4v-6c0-1.66-1.34-3-3-3zm-3 11H8v-5h8v5zm3-7c-.55 0-1-.45-1-1s.45-1 1-1 1 .45 1 1-.45 1-1 1zm-1-9H6v4h12V3z"/> </svg> <span class="usa-sr-only"> Print </span> </button> <a class="usa-button usa-button--unstyled" href="mailto:?subject=Information from the National Cancer Institute Web Site &body=I found this information on www.cancer.gov and I'd like to share it with you: https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/opioids-cancer-pain-end-of-life %0D%0A%0D%0A NCI's Web site, www.cancer.gov, provides accurate, up-to-date, comprehensive cancer information from the U.S. government's principal agency for cancer research. If you have questions or need additional information, we invite you to contact NCI's LiveHelp instant messaging service at https://livehelp.cancer.gov, or call the NCI's Contact Center 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) (toll-free from the United States)."> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"> <path d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none"/> <path d="M20 4H4c-1.1 0-1.99.9-1.99 2L2 18c0 1.1.9 2 2 2h16c1.1 0 2-.9 2-2V6c0-1.1-.9-2-2-2zm0 14H4V8l8 5 8-5v10zm-8-7L4 6h16l-8 5z"/> </svg> <span class="usa-sr-only"> Email </span> </a> </section> </div> </div> <div id="page" class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-row grid-gap"> <div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div> <div class="cgdpl desktop:grid-col-9"> <main id="main-content" class="contentzone"> <div>  <article> <div class="resize-content"> <h1> Opioid Use Drops among Cancer Patients at End of Life </h1> <div id="nvcgSubTitle"> <div class="subscribeRSS"> <a class="blogRSS" href="https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNIHNCI/subscriber/new?topic_id=USNIHNCI_38"><span>Subscribe</span></a> </div> </div> <div id="cgvBody" class="cgvblogpost"> <p class="blog-post-publishing-info"> <time datetime="2021-08-20T12:00:00Z">August 20, 2021</time>, by Sharon Reynolds </p> <div data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image_display_article_medium" class="embedded-entity align-right"> <figure class="image-medium centered-set"> <div class="centered-element"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/styles/cgov_article/public/cgov_image/media_image/2021-08/Nurse%20with%20male%20patient%20EOL.jpg?itok=WAS7sfgV" width="970" height="510" alt="A nurse touches the hands of an elderly male patient laying in a hospital bed." /> </div> <figcaption> <div class="caption-container no-resize"> <p>Along with a decrease in filled opioid prescriptions, ER visits for cancer-related pain have increased among people with cancer nearing the end of their lives, a new study has found.</p> <div class="image-photo-credit">Credit: iStock</div> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>People with cancer nearing the end of their life are not getting needed opioids to control their pain, a new study indicates.</p> <p>In the study, researchers found that the proportion of people with cancer who filled a prescription for <a class="definition" data-glossary-id="CDR0000045054" href="/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=CDR0000045054&version=Patient&language=en">opioid</a> drugs <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34292766/">within the last month of their life dropped between 2007 and 2017</a>. And over that same period, the number of emergency department visits for pain among people with cancer in the last month of life increased dramatically. The findings were published July 22 in the <em>Journal of Clinical Oncology</em>.  </p> <p>Although the new study could not directly link the decrease in opioid prescriptions to the increase in emergency department visits, “I do think these visits are sort of a canary in the coal mine,” said Andrea Enzinger, M.D., of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, who led the research team. “We really don’t know the full extent to which patients are suffering, but I think it’s likely a good bit more than what we’ve reported.”</p> <p>Beginning in the 2010s, many US states began enacting regulations to curb inappropriate opioid prescribing amid a growing epidemic of opioid <a class="definition" data-glossary-id="CDR0000450114" href="/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=CDR0000450114&version=Patient&language=en">overdose</a> deaths. An unintended consequence of these regulations is that it became <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="83fe3296-da11-48ff-9b40-3f59ad929410" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2020/opioids-cancer-pain-oncologists-decreasing-prescriptions">much harder for people with cancer to access pain medications</a>, even at the end of life.</p> <p>“This study demonstrates that, at a time in the US when the primary dialogue about opioids was abuse, cancer patients who need opioids for pain management were not getting them,” said Lori Minasian, M.D., of <a href="https://prevention.cancer.gov/">NCI’s Division of Cancer Prevention (DCP)</a>, who was not involved in the research.</p> <p>“The regulations that have been implemented to try to counteract the [opioid epidemic] have made things harder for our cancer patients,” added Judith Paice, Ph.D., R.N., director of the Cancer Pain Program at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, who also was not involved in the study. “There definitely needs to be advocacy work related to [opioid access] for people with a cancer diagnosis.”</p> <h2>Unintended Consequences</h2> <p>The conversation around <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="94bd0c80-91eb-41fd-af11-a38c40fe8a69" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2018/opioid-crisis-cancer-pain-paice">the use of opioids to relieve cancer-related pain</a> is a complex one, explained Dr. Paice.</p> <p>“The amazing thing about oncology right now is that we’ve got extraordinary treatments that are leading to long-term survival [for many patients],” she said. But pain is often part of the cancer experience, she continued. Some people may experience pain during treatment, while others may live with pain long after treatment has stopped. </p> <p>In both situations “opioids should be used with caution, because of people’s [potentially] very long lifespan and fears of long-term complications of opioids,” Dr. Paice said. “But all of the guidelines agree that opioids are the mainstay of cancer-related pain management for people with advanced disease.” </p> <p>Although studies have looked at opioid use among people with cancer, it hasn’t been clear how opioid regulations have affected those who are dying from their disease, for whom pain can often be severe. So Dr. Enzinger and her colleagues decided to track trends in opioid prescriptions for people with cancer near the end of life. </p> <p>To do so, they looked at data from a random sample of 20% of Medicare beneficiaries over the age of 65 with poor-<a class="definition" data-glossary-id="CDR0000045849" href="/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=CDR0000045849&version=Patient&language=en">prognosis</a> cancers who had died between 2007 and 2017. They chose this period because it covered the years when the extent of the opioid crisis was widely recognized, legislative reforms were first enacted, and prescriptions for opioids began to decline.</p> <p>The team recorded all outpatient opioid prescriptions filled within 30 days of death or enrollment in hospice for about 270,000 people. They further broke the prescriptions down by long-acting opioids, such as extended-release morphine or fentanyl patches, and short-acting opioids, such as codeine or oxycodone.</p> <p>They also looked at the doses of medications prescribed. Finally, they looked at trends in emergency department visits among the same population, both for pain and other reasons.</p> <p>During the decade studied, the proportion of cancer patients near the end of life who filled one or more opioid prescriptions declined from 42% to about 35%. The proportion who received long-acting opioids, which are most effective for treating severe cancer-related pain, declined from 18% to about 11%. </p> <p>The latter finding is “discouraging,” said Dr. Paice, “because long-acting opioids are crucial to allow people to have pain-free periods or significant reductions in pain.” </p> <p>For those who did fill prescriptions for opioids, their mean daily dose of medication dropped by about 25%.</p> <p>Over the same decade, the proportion of patients with cancer who went to the emergency department for pain in their last month of life increased by nearly 51%, from about 13% to almost 20%. Visits for nausea and vomiting, by contrast, did not increase during the same time period.</p> <h2>Substantial Barriers to Pain Relief</h2> <p>Even people with advanced cancer now face substantial barriers to receiving opioids, “and they’re multilayered,” Dr. Enzinger explained. They start with oncologists. </p> <p>Over the last decade, she’s seen providers become less comfortable with prescribing opioids to people with cancer pain, often turning first to less-stigmatized but also less-effective pain medications. “There’s so much messaging around safe opioid prescribing, I think it very well may be subconsciously changing the way we approach treating patients’ pain,” said Dr. Enzinger.</p> <p>Institutions may also require that doctors sign <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/114694/download">a written opioid agreement</a> with patients, and nearly all states now require doctors to check an online database of opioid prescriptions, called a prescription drug monitoring portal, before writing the prescription. With the average clinic visit allowing only about 15 to 30 minutes to discuss issues ranging from treatments to end-of-life concerns, these added hurdles “make it even harder [to write an opioid prescription],” added Dr. Enzinger.</p> <p>Even greater barriers come from the broader health care system, especially insurance coverage restrictions, Dr. Paice said. “We may write a prescription for a patient, but the insurance company will not pay for that prescription without something called a prior authorization,” she explained. Under a prior authorization, an insurance company must give permission for the prescription before it can be filled. </p> <p>Such paperwork is so involved that cancer clinics must hire additional people just to process the documentation, Dr. Paice explained. And it’s not a one-time thing. Authorizations may only last a few months, or even a few weeks, she said, requiring the same process to be completed over and over again. </p> <p>Other barriers include pharmacies limiting the number and types of opioids they carry, prescriptions that can’t be transferred between pharmacies, and unaffordable co-pays, Dr. Paice added. All these obstacles have persisted since 2017, and in some cases, “appear to have worsened,” said Dr. Paice.</p> <p>The study only looked at prescription patterns in older adults. Although people over the age of 65 account for most deaths from cancer, younger people can also face terminal disease. Younger people also encounter issues of access to pain medication, and the situation may be even worse for them, Dr. Enzinger said.</p> <p>“This is also a health disparities issue, because cancer patients from racial or ethnic minority groups are already significantly less likely to be prescribed opioids at the end of life,” added Alexis Bakos, Ph.D., M.P.H., a program director in DCP.</p> <h2>Finding Comfort at the End of Life</h2> <p>On top of all the other barriers, patients <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33905550/">often feel uncomfortable when offered an opioid painkiller</a>, even at the end of life, added Dr. Enzinger.</p> <p>“We hear people with very advanced disease say, ‘I’m terrified of becoming addicted.’ But that’s such a rare problem in this population, it really shouldn’t be weighing into the decisions about pain management,” she said.</p> <p>The risk of overdose among cancer patients at end of life is also rare, explained Dr. Paice, but still frightens people. “I’ve seen [this fear] very strongly with fentanyl,” she said. “But prescribing a fentanyl patch to somebody who has advanced cancer is not going to lead to overdose.”</p> <p>In her practice, Dr. Paice continued, they spend a lot of time educating patients near the end of life about how opioids can help improve their <a class="definition" data-glossary-id="CDR0000045417" href="/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=CDR0000045417&version=Patient&language=en">quality of life</a>. “Opioids can … allow them to move, allow them to be comfortable, allow them to do the work that needs to be done in their final days, weeks, or months of life, because their pain has been relieved.</p> <p>“As a community, oncologists understand there's an opioid epidemic. We understand that you need to train physicians in the appropriate use of opioids,” she said. “But this paper shows us that the policies put in place to reduce the inappropriate use of opioids is also reducing the appropriate use. We need more research to address ways to reduce opioid abuse and yet still permit patients to get opioids for pain relief at the end of life.” </p> <p>These questions don’t just apply to people with cancer, she added. “There are other diseases for which, at the end of life, you should be able to have pain medication,” Dr. Minasian said.</p> <p>The field may eventually be aided by efforts like the <a href="https://heal.nih.gov/">NIH HEAL Initiative</a>, which is funding research on nonopioid therapies for pain management. For now, explained Dr. Enzinger, any person with cancer who is experiencing pain—at any point after their diagnosis —would likely benefit from a referral to a palliative care specialist.</p> <p>“An awful lot of cancer patients never get to talk to a palliative care expert,” Dr. Minasian said. “But it's been demonstrated over and over again that if you provide good <a class="definition" data-glossary-id="CDR0000046609" href="/Common/PopUps/popDefinition.aspx?id=CDR0000046609&version=Patient&language=en">supportive care</a>, including pain management, people will actually live longer.”</p> </div> </div> <footer class="article-footer"> <div id='cgov-blog-post-pagination' class='clearfix'> <div class='blog-post-older'> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/fda-belumosudil-rezurock-chronic-gvhd">< Older Post</a> <p><i>FDA Approves Belumosudil to Treat Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease</i></p> </div> <div class='blog-post-newer'> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/physical-activity-cognitive-function">Newer Post ></a> <p><i>Physical Activity May Lessen the Effects of Chemo Brain, Study Finds</i></p> </div> </div> <div id="blog-cards"> <h2 class="recommended-content__header">Recommended From NCI</h2> <div id="nvcgSlLayoutFeatureA" class="row flex-columns"> <div class="slot-item equalheight large-4 columns card gutter blog-feature"> <div class="feature-card cgvBlogPost"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2020/opioids-cancer-pain-oncologists-decreasing-prescriptions"> <div class="image-hover"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/styles/cgov_featured/public/cgov_image/media_image/2020-09/doc%20prescription.jpg?h=151aa713&itok=Put_lAUX" width="425" height="319" alt="" /> </div> <h3>Opioid Prescriptions Decline for Cancer Patients</h3> </a> </div> </div> <div class="slot-item equalheight large-4 columns card gutter blog-feature"> <div class="feature-card cgvBlogPost"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2018/opioid-crisis-cancer-pain-paice"> <div class="image-hover"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/styles/cgov_featured/public/cgov_image/media_image/100/900/1/files/taking-oral-medication-article.jpg?h=c8b67d57&itok=ILFb_O9H" width="425" height="319" alt="" /> </div> <h3>The Opioid Epidemic and Cancer Pain Management</h3> </a> </div> </div> <div class="slot-item equalheight large-4 columns card gutter blog-feature"> <div class="feature-card cgvBlogPost"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2020/olanzapine-reduces-nausea-advanced-cancer"> <div class="image-hover"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/styles/cgov_featured/public/cgov_image/media_image/2020-06/Man-in-bed-olanzapine.png?h=1851c7f5&itok=Sd96RuBv" width="425" height="319" alt="" /> </div> <h3>Olanzapine Reduces Nausea Caused by Advanced Cancer</h3> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div id="nvcgSlPublicUse"> <div class="slot-item only-SI"> <div class="public-use"> <div id="block-ncids-trans-public-use"> <p><em>If you would like to reproduce some or all of this content, see <a href="/policies/copyright-reuse">Reuse of NCI Information</a> for guidance about copyright and permissions. In the case of permitted digital reproduction, please credit the National Cancer Institute as the source and link to the original NCI product using the original product's title; e.g., “Opioid Use Drops among Cancer Patients at End of Life was originally published by the National Cancer Institute.”</em></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </footer> </article>  </div> </main> </div>   <div class="cgdpl desktop:grid-col-3"> <div id="nvcgSlListBlogRTRail" class="right-rail"> <div class="slot-item"> <div class="managed list with-date"> <h2 id="Featured+Posts">Featured Posts</h2> <ul> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2024/medical-cannabis-oncologists-patients-communication">Oncologists Struggle to Answer Questions About Medical Cannabis</a> <div class="byline"> <p> October 16, 2024, by Carmen Phillips </p> </div> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2024/mammogram-false-positives-affect-future-screening">Mammogram False Positives Can Affect Future Screening Behavior</a> <div class="byline"> <p> October 4, 2024, by Edward Winstead </p> </div> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2024/ancient-retrovirus-dna-ltr10-cancer">DNA From an Ancient Virus Helps Many Cancers Grow</a> <div class="byline"> <p> September 6, 2024, by Nadia Jaber </p> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="slot-item"> <div class="managed list without-date"> <h2 id="Categories">Categories</h2> <ul> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?topic=biology">Biology of Cancer</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?topic=cancer-risk">Cancer Risk</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?topic=childhood-cancer">Childhood Cancer</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?topic=clinical-trial-results">Clinical Trial Results</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?topic=disparities">Disparities</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?topic=fda-approvals">FDA Approvals</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?topic=global-health">Global Health</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?topic=leadership-expert-views">Leadership & Expert Views</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?topic=prevention">Prevention</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?topic=prognosis">Prognosis</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?topic=screening-early-detection">Screening & Early Detection</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?topic=survivorship-supportive-care">Survivorship & Supportive Care</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?topic=technology">Technology</a> </div> </li> <li class="general-list-item general list-item"> <div class="title-and-desc title desc container"> <a class="title" href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?topic=treatment">Treatment</a> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="slot-item"> <div class="desktop"> <div id="blog-archive-accordion"> <h2 id="archive" class="blog-archive-header"> Archive </h2> <div id="blog-archive-accordion-year"> <h3> 2024 </h3> <ul class="ui-helper-reset"> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2024&month=11"> November </a> (5) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2024&month=10"> October </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2024&month=09"> September </a> (5) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2024&month=08"> August </a> (9) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2024&month=07"> July </a> (6) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2024&month=06"> June </a> (5) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2024&month=05"> May </a> (9) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2024&month=04"> April </a> (6) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2024&month=03"> March </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2024&month=02"> February </a> (6) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2024&month=01"> January </a> (6) </li> </ul> <h3> 2023 </h3> <ul class="ui-helper-reset"> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2023&month=12"> December </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2023&month=11"> November </a> (6) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2023&month=10"> October </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2023&month=09"> September </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2023&month=08"> August </a> (6) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2023&month=07"> July </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2023&month=06"> June </a> (8) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2023&month=05"> May </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2023&month=04"> April </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2023&month=03"> March </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2023&month=02"> February </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2023&month=01"> January </a> (6) </li> </ul> <h3> 2022 </h3> <ul class="ui-helper-reset"> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2022&month=12"> December </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2022&month=11"> November </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2022&month=10"> October </a> (5) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2022&month=09"> September </a> (6) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2022&month=08"> August </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2022&month=07"> July </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2022&month=06"> June </a> (8) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2022&month=05"> May </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2022&month=04"> April </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2022&month=03"> March </a> (8) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2022&month=02"> February </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2022&month=01"> January </a> (6) </li> </ul> <h3> 2021 </h3> <ul class="ui-helper-reset"> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2021&month=12"> December </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2021&month=11"> November </a> (4) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2021&month=10"> October </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2021&month=09"> September </a> (9) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2021&month=08"> August </a> (6) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2021&month=07"> July </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2021&month=06"> June </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2021&month=05"> May </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2021&month=04"> April </a> (8) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2021&month=03"> March </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2021&month=02"> February </a> (5) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2021&month=01"> January </a> (6) </li> </ul> <h3> 2020 </h3> <ul class="ui-helper-reset"> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2020&month=12"> December </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2020&month=11"> November </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2020&month=10"> October </a> (8) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2020&month=09"> September </a> (6) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2020&month=08"> August </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2020&month=07"> July </a> (9) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2020&month=06"> June </a> (8) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2020&month=05"> May </a> (8) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2020&month=04"> April </a> (10) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2020&month=03"> March </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2020&month=02"> February </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2020&month=01"> January </a> (7) </li> </ul> <h3> 2019 </h3> <ul class="ui-helper-reset"> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2019&month=12"> December </a> (6) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2019&month=11"> November </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2019&month=10"> October </a> (8) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2019&month=09"> September </a> (8) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2019&month=08"> August </a> (6) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2019&month=07"> July </a> (8) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2019&month=06"> June </a> (6) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2019&month=05"> May </a> (9) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2019&month=04"> April </a> (7) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2019&month=03"> March </a> (10) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2019&month=02"> February </a> (9) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2019&month=01"> January </a> (6) </li> </ul> <h3> 2018 </h3> <ul class="ui-helper-reset"> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2018&month=12"> December </a> (9) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2018&month=11"> November </a> (9) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2018&month=10"> October </a> (9) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2018&month=09"> September </a> (11) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2018&month=08"> August </a> (9) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2018&month=07"> July </a> (9) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2018&month=06"> June </a> (12) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2018&month=05"> May </a> (9) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2018&month=04"> April </a> (10) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2018&month=03"> March </a> (11) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2018&month=02"> February </a> (11) </li> <li class="month"> <a href="/news-events/cancer-currents-blog?year=2018&month=01"> January </a> (10) </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>  </div> <section class="cgdp-page-options cgdp-page-options--bottom" aria-label="Page options bottom"> <button class="usa-button usa-button--unstyled" onclick="window.print()"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"> <path d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none"/> <path d="M19 8H5c-1.66 0-3 1.34-3 3v6h4v4h12v-4h4v-6c0-1.66-1.34-3-3-3zm-3 11H8v-5h8v5zm3-7c-.55 0-1-.45-1-1s.45-1 1-1 1 .45 1 1-.45 1-1 1zm-1-9H6v4h12V3z"/> </svg> <span class="usa-sr-only"> Print </span> </button> <a class="usa-button usa-button--unstyled" href="mailto:?subject=Information from the National Cancer Institute Web Site &body=I found this information on www.cancer.gov and I'd like to share it with you: https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2021/opioids-cancer-pain-end-of-life %0D%0A%0D%0A NCI's Web site, www.cancer.gov, provides accurate, up-to-date, comprehensive cancer information from the U.S. government's principal agency for cancer research. If you have questions or need additional information, we invite you to contact NCI's LiveHelp instant messaging service at https://livehelp.cancer.gov, or call the NCI's Contact Center 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) (toll-free from the United States)."> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false"> <path d="M0 0h24v24H0z" fill="none"/> <path d="M20 4H4c-1.1 0-1.99.9-1.99 2L2 18c0 1.1.9 2 2 2h16c1.1 0 2-.9 2-2V6c0-1.1-.9-2-2-2zm0 14H4V8l8 5 8-5v10zm-8-7L4 6h16l-8 5z"/> </svg> <span class="usa-sr-only"> Email </span> </a> </section> </div> <div id="block-ncidsfooterenglish"> <footer class="usa-footer usa-footer--nci-big" id="nci-footer" aria-label="Footer" > <div class="grid-container usa-footer__return-to-top"> <a href="#top" aria-label="Back To Top"><span>Back To Top</span></a> </div> <div class="usa-footer__primary-section"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-row grid-gap"> <div class="tablet:grid-col-8"> <nav class="usa-footer__nav" aria-label="Footer navigation"> <div class="grid-row grid-gap-4"> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-4"> <section class="usa-footer__primary-content usa-footer__primary-content--collapsible" > <div class="usa-footer__primary-link">About</div> <ul class="usa-list usa-list--unstyled"> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/about-website">About This Website</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/espanol">en Español</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/policies/copyright-reuse">Reuse & Copyright</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/social-media">Social Media</a> </li> </ul> </section> </div> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-4"> <section class="usa-footer__primary-content usa-footer__primary-content--collapsible" > <div class="usa-footer__primary-link">Resources</div> <ul class="usa-list usa-list--unstyled"> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/contact">Contact Us</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/publications">Publications</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms" >Dictionary of Cancer Terms</a > </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/research/participate/clinical-trials-search" >Find a Clinical Trial</a > </li> </ul> </section> </div> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-6 desktop:grid-col-4"> <section class="usa-footer__primary-content usa-footer__primary-content--collapsible" > <div class="usa-footer__primary-link">Policies</div> <ul class="usa-list usa-list--unstyled"> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/policies/accessibility">Accessibility</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/policies/foia">FOIA</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/policies/privacy-security" >Privacy & Security</a > </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="/policies/disclaimer">Disclaimers</a> </li> <li class="usa-footer__secondary-link"> <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/vulnerability-disclosure-policy/index.html" >Vulnerability Disclosure</a > </li> </ul> </section> </div> </div> </nav> </div> <div class="tablet:grid-col-4"> <div class="usa-sign-up"> <div class="usa-sign-up__heading">Sign up for email updates</div> <form action="https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNIHNCI/subscribers/qualify" aria-label="Footer subscribe" class="usa-form" accept-charset="UTF-8" method="post" novalidate target="_blank" id="signup" > <input type="hidden" name="category_id" id="category_id" value="" /> <div class="usa-form-group"> <label class="usa-label" for="email"> Enter your email address </label> <input class="usa-input width-full" id="email" name="email" type="email" value="" /> </div> <button class="usa-button usa-button--accent-warm" type="submit"> Sign up </button> </form> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="usa-footer__secondary-section"> <div class="grid-container"> <div class="grid-row grid-gap"> <div class="usa-footer__logo grid-row desktop:grid-col-5"> <div class="mobile-lg:grid-col-auto desktop:margin-bottom-3"> <p class="usa-footer__logo-heading"> <span class="logo__agency-name">National Cancer Institute </span> <span class="logo__parent-organization" >at the National Institutes of Health</span > </p> </div> </div> <div class="usa-footer__contact-links mobile-lg:grid-col-7"> <div class="usa-footer__contact-heading">Contact Us</div> <div class="usa-footer__address"> <div class="usa-footer__contact-info grid-row grid-gap"> <div class="tablet:grid-col-auto"> <a href="https://livehelp.cancer.gov/">Live Chat</a> </div> <div class="tablet:grid-col-auto"> <a href="tel:1-800-4-CANCER">1-800-4-CANCER</a> </div> <div class="tablet:grid-col-auto"> <a href="mailto:NCIinfo@nih.gov">NCIinfo@nih.gov</a> </div> <div class="tablet:grid-col-auto"> <a class="no-exit-notification" href="https://nci.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aeLLobt6ZeGVn5I" target="_blank" >Site Feedback</a > </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="grid-row grid-gap"> <div class="usa-footer__social-links desktop:grid-col-5"> <div class="usa-footer__social-heading">Follow us</div> <div class="grid-row grid-gap-1 nci-big__social"> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <a class="usa-social-link no-exit-notification" href="https://www.facebook.com/cancer.gov" > <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-labelledby="facebook-title" > <title id="facebook-title">Facebook</title> <rect fill="none" height="24" width="24" /> <path d="M22,12c0-5.52-4.48-10-10-10S2,6.48,2,12c0,4.84,3.44,8.87,8,9.8V15H8v-3h2V9.5C10,7.57,11.57,6,13.5,6H16v3h-2 c-0.55,0-1,0.45-1,1v2h3v3h-3v6.95C18.05,21.45,22,17.19,22,12z" /> </svg> </a> </div> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <a class="usa-social-link no-exit-notification" href="https://twitter.com/thenci" > <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-labelledby="x-title" > <title id="x-title">Follow on X</title> <path d="M12 22c5.5 0 10-4.5 10-10S17.5 2 12 2 2 6.5 2 12s4.5 10 10 10zm5.2-15.6L13.3 11l4.3 6.2h-3.1L11.6 13 8 17.2h-.9l4.1-4.8-4.1-6h3.1l2.7 3.9 3.4-3.9h.9zm-5.6 5.4.4.6 2.8 4h1.4l-3.5-5-.4-.6-2.6-3.7H8.3l3.3 4.7z" /> </svg> </a> </div> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <a class="usa-social-link no-exit-notification" href="https://www.instagram.com/nationalcancerinstitute/" > <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-labelledby="instagram-title" > <title id="instagram-title">Instagram</title> <g id="Instagram"> <path d="M12,10a2,2,0,1,0,2,2A2,2,0,0,0,12,10Z" /> <path d="M12,2A10,10,0,1,0,22,12,10,10,0,0,0,12,2Zm6,12.69A3.32,3.32,0,0,1,14.69,18H9.31A3.32,3.32,0,0,1,6,14.69V9.31A3.32,3.32,0,0,1,9.31,6h5.38A3.32,3.32,0,0,1,18,9.31Z" /> <path d="M16.94,9.31a2.25,2.25,0,0,0-2.25-2.25H9.31A2.25,2.25,0,0,0,7.06,9.31v5.38a2.25,2.25,0,0,0,2.25,2.25h5.38a2.25,2.25,0,0,0,2.25-2.25h0ZM12,15.09A3.09,3.09,0,1,1,15.09,12,3.09,3.09,0,0,1,12,15.09Zm3.77-5.75a.79.79,0,0,1-.55.23.83.83,0,0,1-.55-.23.78.78,0,0,1,0-1.11A.82.82,0,0,1,15.22,8a.78.78,0,0,1,.55,1.33Z" /> </g> </svg> </a> </div> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <a class="usa-social-link no-exit-notification" href="https://www.youtube.com/NCIgov" > <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-labelledby="youtube-title" > <title id="youtube-title">Youtube</title> <g id="YouTube"> <path d="M12,2A10,10,0,1,0,22,12,10,10,0,0,0,12,2Zm5.75,12.91A1.49,1.49,0,0,1,16.69,16a34.65,34.65,0,0,1-4.69.26A34.65,34.65,0,0,1,7.31,16a1.49,1.49,0,0,1-1.06-1.06A15.88,15.88,0,0,1,6,12a15.88,15.88,0,0,1,.25-2.91A1.49,1.49,0,0,1,7.31,8,34.65,34.65,0,0,1,12,7.77,34.65,34.65,0,0,1,16.69,8a1.49,1.49,0,0,1,1.06,1.06A15.88,15.88,0,0,1,18,12,15.88,15.88,0,0,1,17.75,14.91Z" /> <polygon points="10.77 13.78 13.91 12 10.77 10.22 10.77 13.78" /> </g> </svg> </a> </div> <div class="grid-col-auto"> <a class="usa-social-link no-exit-notification" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/nationalcancerinstitute/" > <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 24 24" class="usa-icon" role="img" aria-labelledby="linkedin-title" > <title id="linkedin-title">Linkedin</title> <g id="final"> <path d="M12,2C6.48,2,2,6.48,2,12s4.48,10,10,10s10-4.48,10-10S17.52,2,12,2z M8.912001,17.584H6.584v-7.472h2.328001V17.584z M7.744,9.104C6.992,9.104,6.4,8.488,6.4,7.76c0-0.752,0.592-1.344,1.344-1.344c0.728,0,1.343999,0.592,1.343999,1.344 C9.087999,8.488,8.472,9.104,7.744,9.104z M17.6,17.584h-2.328v-3.64c0-0.856-0.024001-1.967999-1.216001-1.967999 s-1.392,0.927999-1.392,1.912v3.696H10.36v-7.472h2.224v1.008h0.024c0.464-0.752,1.296-1.216001,2.199999-1.192 c2.352001,0,2.792,1.552001,2.792,3.544001C17.6,13.472,17.6,17.584,17.6,17.584z" /> </g> </svg> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="usa-footer__contact-links desktop:grid-col-7"> <div class="usa-footer__address height-full"> <div class="usa-footer__contact-info grid-row grid-gap height-full"> <address> <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/" >U.S. Department of Health and Human Services </a> <a href="https://www.nih.gov/" >National Institutes of Health </a> <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/">National Cancer Institute </a> <a href="https://usa.gov/">USA.gov</a> </address> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </footer> </div> </div> <script src="/sites/g/files/xnrzdm211/files/js/js_qW3TLjdEty3QtOepUCSY4uh6BQEGkRIL3qUMnp3WXG4.js?scope=footer&delta=0&language=en&theme=ncids_trans&include=eJxFyEEOwCAIBMAPGX1SA4WoCVXCyqG_77FzHLw4-jQmaHEK6kE-0CTSyeo_NZcn28RQKeuegusELTS23fEB1Owbrg"></script> <script src="/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/ncids_trans/dist/js/ncids-common.js?smm34w"></script> <script src="/profiles/custom/cgov_site/themes/custom/ncids_trans/dist/js/blogs.js?smm34w"></script> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Opioid Use Drops among Cancer Patients at End of Life - NCI