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.
