Addiction journal
Addiction journal
Opioids, cancer and mortality with Aleksi Hamina
Opioids, cancer and mortality with Aleksi Hamina
Opioids, cancer and mortality with Aleksi Hamina
Thursday 18th July 2024
Ben Scher talks with Dr Aleksi Hamina about the alarming link between opioid use and increased cancer mortality. A must-listen for public health insights.
13 minutes
Informative
Eye-opening
Compassionate
Educational
Non-judgmental
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Addiction journal
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Navigating Alcohol Dependency
Understanding Addiction & Recovery
Navigating Intimate Relationships
Family Recovery from Addiction
Nutritional Pathways to Recovery
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Get the buttons here!Unveiling the Hidden Cancer Risks for Opioid Users
Episode Overview
- Significant increase in cancer incidences among opioid users.
- Liver, lung, larynx, and pancreas cancers most affected.
- High impact of smoking, alcohol use, and hepatitis infections.
- Need for better access to primary care and preventive services.
- Ongoing research needed for more detailed insights.
We found a more than two-fold relative increase in cancer mortality in this population
In this compelling episode of Addiction Audio, Ben Scher sits down with Dr Aleksi Hamina, a renowned pharma epidemiologist from the Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research and Niuvanniemi Hospital. Together, they unpack the findings of a recent study on the link between opioid use and cancer mortality. Dr Hamina's team utilised large national datasets to reveal alarming increases in cancer incidences and deaths among people who use drugs, particularly liver, lung, larynx, and pancreas cancers.
The discussion highlights the critical impact of smoking, alcohol use, and hepatitis on these outcomes. Dr Hamina explains the methodology behind their research, which involved creating a cohort of individuals with opioid use-related disorders and comparing their cancer rates to those of the general population. The results are striking: a notable rise in cancer cases and a two-fold increase in cancer mortality within this group.
The conversation also touches on the sobering reality that survival rates post-cancer diagnosis are significantly lower for this population. The episode doesn't just stop at the data. Dr Hamina and Scher delve into the policy implications of these findings. They stress the importance of reducing smoking, alcohol consumption, and hepatitis infections among those with opioid use disorders. They also advocate for lowering barriers to primary care and preventive health services to improve cancer outcomes.
Dr Hamina's insights are both eye-opening and sobering, shedding light on an often-overlooked aspect of addiction's toll on health. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of addiction and public health. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the urgent need for targeted interventions and policy changes. Why not give it a listen and see how this research could inform better health policies and practices?