Along with a well-documented increase in opioid use disorder (OUD) and a rapidly escalating rate of fatal overdose in North America, inadequate management of chronic pain remains a pervasive problem. The increasing number of individuals living with OUD also experience multiple cancer risk factors, which are related to their substance use, while people with cancer diagnoses have similar risks of current or past addiction as the general population. Addressing these challenges requires confronting stigmas and stereotypes, building knowledge among palliative care providers and assessing the risks and benefits of opioids for pain management on an individual basis in order to continue to provide the holistic care.

Brenda Peters-Watral -