Navigating the Intersection of Cancer Care and Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
An article in The New England Journal of Medicine details the challenges faced by individuals living with both a serious illness and opioid use disorder (OUD), using the case of a 66-year-old musician diagnosed with head and neck cancer.
One study of methadone clinics revealed that 20% of their patients had been diagnosed with cancer, and more than 60% had more than two chronic health conditions. Authors Katie F. Jones, PhD; Paul Joudrey, MD; Diane Meier, MD, FACP, FAAHPM; Salimah Meghani, PhD; and Jessica Merlin, MD, PhD, MBA advocate for changes to existing policies, including integrating methadone treatment into general medical care and accommodating the complex needs of individuals with both OUD and serious medical conditions.