Why Cancer Patients Are At Risk Of Substance Addiction

Some addictions increase the risk of cancer — people who smoke tobacco, use marijuana, abuse steroids, and suffer from alcohol use disorders are all known to be vulnerable to several different kinds, for instance. Did you know that a diagnosis of cancer may also raise the risk of substance abuse?

Up to 35 percent of cancer patients face substance abuse problems, one study suggested, with alcohol and the opioids so often prescribed to help manage cancer pain being among the most popular substances of choice. Some people who abuse prescription opioid medications later switch to heroin for financial reasons, as well. Nearly 29 percent of cancer patients in one study were seriously worried they could lose control and start abusing the medications they were prescribed for pain and anxiety, meanwhile.

Why might cancer make a person vulnerable to addiction?

Cancer is common. More than four in 10 Americans will, at some point in their lives, be diagnosed with one "flavor" of cancer or another. Over 12 million people either have cancer now, or are in remission, and 10 percent of American households are home to someone who has had a cancer diagnosis within the last five years. 

Although medical science and practice has advanced to the point where many who would have died from cancer will now reach full remission and go on to live productive and fulfilling lives, over half a million people in the US alone will die from some kind of cancer every year. 

Regardless of which category an individual falls into, they may face challenges that place an enormous strain on their quality of life, things like:

• Knowing you are going to die soon, or fearing that you will even if your medical team has informed you that your prognosis is good. 
• Fears about what will happen to your loved ones should you no longer be around. 
• Permanent disability resulting from cancer treatments like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, hormone therapy, and the cancer itself. 
• An inability to engage in paid employment.
• Limitations to physical abilities, including things patients will previously have taken for granted, like the ability to get dressed or shower. 
• Chronic and debilitating pain — over a third of patients currently undergoing cancer treatment will be in painm, with no guarantees that this will stop once treatment is over.
• Significant fatigue, one of the most common complaints among people currently undergoing treatment for cancer and those who did in the past alike. 
• A lack of social support, and stigma coming from people in your social circle, from people who are just as scared of cancer as you are but less well-informed about it. Not knowing how to help you, people may simply stay away. 

What can be done about substance abuse in cancer patients?

Because the rates of substance abuse among cancer patients are quite high, clinicians should — research suggests — routinely screen those in active treatment at least for alcohol and prescription painkiller abuse. They should also address the possibility of opioid abuse while at the same time making sure to do what they can to minimize the pain cancer patients experience. 

Patients themselves may benefit from:

• Cancer support groups — having the social and emotional support of people who understand what they're going through can play a role in boosting morale and reducing rates of depression. 
• A strong social support network — there's no doubt here. People who have supportive and helpful relatives and friends are less likely to become depressed, and more likely to overcome substance abuse issues. 
• Letting their healthcare providers know if they feel they're at risk of substance abuse — like, if they're thinking of misusing their prescription painkillers. 
• Letting their healthcare providers know if they're already abusing alcohol or drugs. Help is available. 
• Seeking out talk therapy right after their diagnosis, or at any point thereafter. Cancer is a life-changing diagnosis, and even patients who don't have a substance use problem or feel they're at risk of one can benefit from therapy in plenty of ways. 

Treatment-wise, not much research has investigated the best way to help people currently undergoing cancer treatment or those who have been diagnosed with cancer in the past help remission from an addiction. However, studies do indicate that cognitive behavioral therapy can be useful in this context. Anyone receiving treatment for cancer at the moment or suffering from residual medical problems after cancer treatment should have a personalized treatment plan that takes the possibility that they will still need pain relief into account.