Perioperative Opioids and Colorectal Cancer Recurrence: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Aim: To summarize the literature on the long-term impact of perioperative opioids in colorectal cancer. Materials & methods: Combined results from two searching strategies in PubMed/MEDLINE (1950–2018), based on a PICO approach; P: Opioid influence on cancer-related long-term outcome in patient undergoing colorectal surgery; I: Opioid drugs administered in the perioperative period; C: Correlation between dose and/or type of opioid with long-term oncologic outcome; O: Disease-free survival and/or overall survival (OS). Results: Thirteen articles fulfilled the predetermined inclusion criteria. Due to the heterogeneity of the different studies, a quantitative meta-analysis to sum the evidence was deemed unfeasible. Conclusion: Our review indicates that there is no conclusive evidence to avoid the use of opioids with the goal of reducing the risk of recurrence in colorectal cancer.

Keywords::

• colorectal cancer
• opioids
• recurrence-free survival

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.