Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care

Korean Society for Hospice and Palliative Care (한국호스피스완화의료학회)
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Proportion of Non-Medical Opioid Use of Prescription Opioids among Cancer Patients in Korea

  • Se-Il, Go (Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Jung Hye Kwon (Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, Chungnam National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Sung Woo Park (Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Hospital) ;
  • Gyeong-Won Lee (Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Jung Hun Kang (Department of Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Eduardo, Bruera (Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation, and Integrative Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center)
  • Received : 2023.07.22
  • Accepted : 2023.11.04
  • Published : 2023.12.01
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Abstract

Purpose: Limited research has been conducted on the prevalence of non-medical opioid use (NMOU) in Korean cancer patients who have received prescription opioids (PO). This study aimed to identify the potential proportion of NMOU in cancer patients who had been prescribed opioids in Korea. Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on 14,728 patients who underwent cancer-related treatment between January 2009 and December 2019, using electronically collected data from a tertiary hospital in Korea. Information regarding the type and duration of opioid use was gathered. A detailed review of medical charts was carried out, focusing on patients who had been prescribed opioids for over 60 days beyond a 12-month period following the completion of their cancer treatment (long-term PO users). Results: Out of the 5,587 patients who were prescribed PO and followed up for at least 12 months, 13 cases of NMOU were identified, representing 0.23% of the patient population. Among the 204 long-term PO users, the rate was 6.37% (13/204). The most commonly misused opioids were oxycodone and fentanyl. For the group confirmed to have NMOU, the median duration of prescription was 1,327 days in total. Of the 13 patients diagnosed with NMOU, 9 reported withdrawal symptoms, 3 exhibited craving behavior for opioids, and 1 experienced both symptoms. Conclusion: This study found that 0.23% of cancer patients who had been prescribed opioids in Korea demonstrated NMOU. Despite this relatively low rate, careful monitoring is necessary to minimize the risk of NMOU in this population, especially among long-term PO users.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

We would like to give special gratitude to Sang-Eun Park, a medical information manager, for her dedicated efforts to publish this study.

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