The impact of opioid use associated with curative‐intent cancer surgery on safe opioid prescribing practice among veterans: An observational study

This retrospective cohort study investigated whether opioid exposure during curative-intent cancer surgery increases the risk of unsafe opioid prescribing practices among veterans in the long term. Among 9,213 opioid-naive veterans with a new diagnosis of early-stage cancer, more than one in ten developed new persistent opioid use following surgery, and 4% were coprescribed opioids and benzodiazepines, a combination associated with heightened overdose risk. Veterans in the highest quartile of opioid exposure during the treatment window faced a 60% greater risk of developing new persistent opioid use compared to those with no exposure.

These findings carry significant implications for how pain management is approached in the context of cancer care. As more patients survive cancer and live longer after treatment, the downstream effects of perioperative opioid exposure become an increasingly urgent concern. The study calls for optimized pain management strategies that provide effective relief while minimizing long-term opioid-related health risks, particularly among veteran populations who may already face elevated vulnerability to substance use challenges.