Opioids and Cancer

Opioids are widely used for the management of cancer and surgical pain in the perioperative period. However, there is growing evidence to suggest that opioids may alter the course of cancer. In the surgical setting, a number of studies have assessed the influence of opioid-sparing techniques on overall or recurrence-free survival. However, their ability to influence survival or cancer outcomes when compared with opioids is still debated. From a clinical perspective, the ability to determine the effect of opioids on cancer, especially in humans, is further complicated owing to a number of confounding variables. Future prospective studies may determine the long-term effects of opioids used in the perioperative period on oncological outcomes.