Breast cancer is a horrible disease. It leaves fear, pain and raw emotions in its wake. If you or a loved one is struggling to overcome this devastating disease , then you may be desperate to try anything to alleviate the uncomfortable, all- consuming pain that is associated with cancer. While opioids may seem like a simple option to minimize pain, their long term effects could lead to further dangerous complications.
Opioids such as OxyContin (oxycodone) and Vicoprofen (hydrocodone) are often used for cancer patients because of pain associated with chemotherapy treatments and surgeries. While there have been many stories on the news about the opioid crisis and how opioids are being misused for their highly addictive nature, there are added dangers for breast cancer patients. In a study conducted by Andrey Bortsov, MD, PhD, at the University of North Carolina, he and his team analyzed a report involving 2,000 breast cancer patients. The women who were being treated for invasive breast cancer who were less sensitive to opioids (due to a slight genetic mutation) were much more likely to be alive ten years after cancer treatment. The University of Chicago agrees by saying that, “Several studies published since 2002... suggest that opioids can stimulate the growth and spread of cancer cells.”
The problem is that opioids (including commonly used morphine) suppress the immune system so that your body can’t fight against the abnormally multiplying cancer cells. These cells then form tumors that hinder the body from functioning properly.
Scientists are researching an opiate blocker called methylnaltrexone (MNTX) where studies on mice have shown that taken with opioids, the mice who were treated with MNTX had 90% less cancer growth than the mice without MNTX. However, this option is still being studied and is not being put into regular use.
If you have breast cancer and are struggling with pain, there are non-opioid medications that you should consider asking your doctor or pharmacist about:
