# Opioid Prescribing and Health outcomes among Cancer Survivors

> **NIH NIH F30** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · 2022 · $27,146

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The population of Americans who are free of cancer 5-years post-cancer diagnosis, long-term survivors, is
growing. Many are expected to develop and suffer from chronic pain, of which, many will be prescribed opioids
for chronic pain management, contrary to prescribing guidelines. Previous literature has demonstrated that
cancer survivors may experience prolonged opioid use or higher rate of opioid prescribing or are more likely to
receive a high dose of prescription opioid than individuals who have not been diagnosed with cancer. However,
these previous studies are from outside the United States or are regional (e.g. Texas), have a different
definition of cancer survivor (e.g. beginning from date of diagnosis, 5 years post-cancer diagnosis), have not
examined the roles that providers and hospitals may have on patient high-risk opioid use, and have not
assessed the risk of an opioid related adverse outcomes. Furthermore, no studies have examined if federal
rescheduling of hydrocodone was successful in reducing rate of high-risk prescription opioid use by cancer
survivors. Therefore, this study proposes to address these gaps in a population of older, ≥66 years of age,
cancer survivors by utilizing linked SEER-Medicare administrative claims for older cancer survivors diagnosed
with lung, colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer through the completion of three specific aims, as follows: 1)
Investigate the pattern of high-risk opioid use by years since diagnosis and examine differences by
age, sex, race, cohort for year of diagnosis, cancer diagnosis, and by region AND assess if
Hydrocodone Rescheduling was associated with a reduction of rate of high-dose opioid therapy for
older, long-term cancer survivors; 2) Examine the patient, provider, and hospital factors associated
with high-risk opioid use; 3) Assess if long-term cancer survivors, compared to non-cancer controls,
have a higher risk of experiencing high-risk opioid use and an opioid related ED visit or hospitalization.
We will utilize prevalence rates and interrupted time series, generalized estimating equations, and Cox
proportional hazard models and Fine and Gray regression models (for assessing competing risk of death) to
analyze aims 1, 2, 3, respectively. The long-term goal of this project is to inform providers, professional
organizations, and policy makers about high-risk opioid use rates in cancer survivors, the potential harms of
opioids, and previous successes policy attempts to reduce opioid prescribing in cancer survivors. Derrick will
receive further training in statistics, epidemiology, patient centered outcomes research, and writing which will
be crucial to finishing the proposed project and his future as a clinician-scientist. During his clinical years,
Derrick will be involved in research that aims to study patient’s perspectives and patient reported outcomes.
Throughout the three years of funding, Derrick will disseminate the results of his research in the form...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10474379
- **Project number:** 5F30CA254479-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Derrick Christian Gibson
- **Activity code:** F30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $27,146
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2023-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10474379

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10474379, Opioid Prescribing and Health outcomes among Cancer Survivors (5F30CA254479-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10474379. Licensed CC0.

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