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. 2024 Nov;39(14):2698-2707.
doi: 10.1007/s11606-024-08940-2. Epub 2024 Jul 19.

Misuse of Prescribed and Nonprescribed Substances Among U.S. Cancer Survivors

Devon K Check  1 , Katie F Jones  2 , Oyomoare L Osazuwa-Peters  3 , Dan V Blalock  4   5 , Andrea Des Marais  3 , Jessica S Merlin  6
Affiliations

Misuse of Prescribed and Nonprescribed Substances Among U.S. Cancer Survivors

Devon K Check et al. J Gen Intern Med. 2024 Nov.

Abstract

Background: Substance misuse is common among cancer survivors and can negatively impact cancer outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using National Survey on Drug Use and Health data for 2015 to 2020. We included adult respondents with a history of solid tumor cancer. We calculated the weighted prevalence and corresponding SEs (both expressed as percentages) of substance (alcohol, opioid, sedative, stimulant, other) misuse for respondents with any history of solid tumor cancer and, in secondary analyses, respondents diagnosed with cancer in the prior 12 months.

Results: The study included 6,101 respondents with any history of cancer, 1,437 diagnosed in the prior 12 months. Alcohol was the most commonly misused substance. The average prevalence of alcohol misuse was 14.4% (SE 0.60%) across cancer types; it was markedly more common among people with a history or cervical (24.2% [3.0%]) or head and neck cancer (27.4% [7.1%]). The next most common form of substance misuse was opioid misuse (average prevalence: 2.7% [0.25%]). As with alcohol misuse, the prevalence of opioid misuse was higher among those with a lifetime history of cervical cancer (5% [1%]) or head and neck cancer (5% [3%]). Results were generally consistent among cancer survivors diagnosed in the prior 12 months.

Conclusions: There is a clear opportunity to address substance misuse-particularly alcohol misuse-among cancer survivors. Such efforts should focus on populations with a high prevalence of substance misuse (e.g., cervical and head and neck cancer survivors) and have strong potential to improve cancer-specific and overall health outcomes.

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Conflict of interest statement

Dr. Check reports research funding from AstraZeneca, outside the submitted work.

Dr. Jones has nothing to disclose.

Dr. Osazuwa-Peters has nothing to disclose.

Dr. Blalock reports personal fees from Eating Recovery Center/Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center, outside the submitted work.

Ms. Des Marais has nothing to disclose.

Dr. Merlin reports grants from Cambia Health Foundation, outside the submitted work.

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