Support Care Cancer

BackgroundGabapentinoid use for cancer-pain control may be problematic, given unclear mechanisms of action and increased concerns for physical dependence. The purpose of this report is to examine trends of gabapentinoid use among US adults with cancer from 2005\u20132015.MethodsWe conducted a serial, cross-sectional study using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). We performed multiple logistic regression to examine the annual percentages of gabapentinoid users, which were adjusted for age, sex, and US region of residence.ResultsThe amount of gabapentinoid prescriptions filled in 2015 was also estimated. The adjusted percentage of gabapentinoid users in 2015 was 5.60% (3.79%, 7.41%), 2.39 times greater than the percentage in 2005 (p < .001). By 2015, the number of gabapentinoid prescriptions had grown to approximately 3.52 million (2.40 million, 4.65 million).ConclusionWe observed greater than a two-fold increase in the trend of gabapentinoid medication use among US adults with cancer. Investigations on the long-term efficacy of gabapentinoids for complex pain syndromes, and mitigation of risks, is essential to guide informed clinical management and keep patients safe.P30 CA046592/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United StatesT42 OH008455/OH/NIOSH CDC HHS/United States133507-DSCN-19-048-01-SCN/American Cancer Society/P30CA046592/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States2021-01-01T00:00:00Z31650294PMC68846918874vault:3458