Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40917002›Full record

ArticleCancer medicine2025

Comparative Effectiveness of Opioids and Opioid Substitutes on Pain and Health Related Quality of Life Among Cancer Survivors.

Shirley K Chan Sanchez, Samuel V David, Efstathia Polychronopoulou, Mukaila Raji, Yong-Fang Kuo

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Shirley K Chan SanchezJohn Sealy School of Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-3866-9221
Samuel V DavidOffice of Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics & Data Science, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6937-3507
Efstathia PolychronopoulouOffice of Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics & Data Science, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6126-6465
Mukaila RajiDivision of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7460-7281
Yong-Fang KuoDepartment of Biostatistics & Data Science, School of Public and Population Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1927-0927

Funding

Pattern, Variation and Outcomes of Opioid Prescription in Older AdultsR01DA039192 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · PI KUO, YONG-FANG, RAJI, MUKAILA A · 2016 to 2023
$3.1M
Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas RP210130NIDA NIH HHS 5R01DA039192-08NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA039192
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionChronic pain is a major but modifiable contributor to poor quality of life among long-term cancer survivors. With growing concern over opioid-related risks, gabapentinoids have emerged as a safer alternative, though evidence comparing their effectiveness remains limited.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study using SEER-MHOS linked data (1998-2021) to examine pain interference and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among 24,651 cancer survivors. Participants were categorized as opioid-only (OPIOID-only), gabapentinoid-only (GABA-only), both (BOTH), or no medication (NONE). Changes in pain interference and Physical and Mental Component Summary scores (PCS, MCS) were analyzed using paired t-tests and multivariate regression, adjusting for demographic and clinical covariates.

resultsOver a 1 to 3 year follow-up, all groups showed increased pain interference and declines in PCS and MCS scores. PCS declined by -1.01 in the OPIOID-only group and -1.06 in the GABA-only group. The BOTH group had stable PCS (+0.06) and a modest improvement in pain interference (-0.07). Multivariate models showed no significant difference between OPIOID-only and GABA-only for pain interference or PCS, but the BOTH group had significantly less pain worsening (p = 0.0001) and PCS decline (p = 0.004).

conclusionGabapentinoids demonstrate comparable effectiveness as opioids for pain and HRQoL in cancer survivors, supporting their use as a safer alternative. Combination therapy showed better physical function and pain control, but findings may reflect higher baseline comorbidity and limited decline capacity rather than true superiority. These results underscored the need for personalized, multimodal pain management and further research on the long-term safety of combination therapy.

Indexed as

Analgesics, OpioidCancer PainCancer SurvivorsChronic PainGabapentinNeoplasmsQuality of LifeAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesSEER ProgramAnalgesics, OpioidGabapentincancer survivorshipcomorbidity burdengabapentinoidshealth‐related quality of lifeopioid alternativesopioidspain interferenceprescription patterns

Identifiers

PMID40917002
PMCPMC12415586

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.