Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42613547›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2026

Treating cancer-related symptoms in patients exhibiting nonmedical opioid use behaviours: a retrospective chart review study.

Alina Abbasi, Imogen den Otter-Moore, James Downar, Craig Goldie, Sarina R Isenberg, Heather Johnson, Danielle Kain, Jenny Lau, Aynharan Sinnarajah, Camilla Zimmermann and 1 more

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Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Alina AbbasiDivision of Supportive & Palliative Care, William Osler Health System, Brampton, ON, Canada.
Imogen den Otter-MooreSchool of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
James DownarDivision of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Craig GoldieDivision of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Sarina R IsenbergDivision of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Heather JohnsonDivision of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Danielle KainDivision of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Jenny LauDepartment of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Aynharan SinnarajahDivision of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Camilla ZimmermannDepartment of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Jean MathewsDivision of Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada. Jean.mathews@kingstonhsc.ca.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9952-7050

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAlthough opioids are essential for treating symptoms in patients with advanced cancer, non-medical opioid use (NMOU, defined as patients using opioids differently, or in excess of, their prescription) is becoming more common and challenging to manage. We aimed to characterize the practice patterns and challenges documented by physicians treating cancer-related symptoms in patients exhibiting NMOU behaviours in an oncology palliative care clinic.

methodsWe purposively sampled patients who received care in the clinic in 2023 and who exhibited NMOU. We conducted a mixed methods retrospective chart review of all palliative care notes from initial consultation to six months of follow-up.

resultsPatients exhibiting NMOU (n = 12; median age 51; 67% male; 92% with stage 3 or 4 cancer) were younger and had higher symptom burden compared to other patients seen in the clinic. Commonly documented NMOU behaviours included increasing opioid doses without medical guidance (9, 75%), unscheduled visits for early refills (7, 58%), and missed appointments and emergency department visits for opioids (6, 50%). Safety interventions included prescribing lower quantities of opioids (9, 75%), frequent follow-up (8, 67%), and initiating opioid treatment agreements (8, 67%). Qualitative analysis revealed four themes: addressing social determinants of health; instituting harm reduction strategies; managing complex pain; and increased healthcare utilization.

conclusionThis study provides real-world insights into the complex needs of patients with cancer and NMOU and of the clinicians who care for them. Targets for quality improvement were identified including naloxone co-prescription and developing collaborative models with addiction specialists integrated with cancer care.

Indexed as

Analgesics, OpioidCancer PainNeoplasmsPalliative CarePractice Patterns, Physicians'AdultAgedFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesAnalgesics, OpioidCancer painNaloxoneNeoplasmsOpioidOpioid-related disorders

Identifiers

PMID42613547

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.