Episode release date: 7/9/2026
For patients with cancer and substance use disorders, managing pain safely and effectively presents unique challenges. Clinicians must balance appropriate opioid prescribing with the risks of relapse, overdose, and fragmented care. This episode explores how addiction, oncology, and palliative care providers can work together to support both cancer treatment and recovery. Listeners will learn practical frameworks for managing cancer-related pain, coordinating care across specialties, and improving outcomes for patients navigating these intersecting and complex conditions.
Educational Objectives:
- Identify key considerations when initiating opioid therapy for patients with cancer-related pain, including how to discuss risks of dependence and addiction with patients.
- Analyze approaches to managing cancer pain in patients with substance use disorders, including the role of medications for opioid use disorder such as buprenorphine and methadone.
- Apply patient-centered strategies for opioid management during cancer survivorship, including individualized tapering and integration of non-opioid therapies.
- Describe the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between oncology, addiction medicine, and palliative care in managing complex cancer pain.