Opioid drugs mainly include opium, morphine, codeine, compound camphor tincture, and papaverine, with morphine being the most representative. Although long-term use of opioids can cause euphoria and addiction, cancer patients using opioids for pain relief usually do not become addicted.
When a tumor invades a tissue or compresses a nerve, it can cause severe pain. Additionally, some cancer treatments can also cause painful complications. For cancer patients' pain, doctors usually start with non-opioid medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen. If these drugs are ineffective or cause side effects, doctors may use opioid painkillers, especially when the pain is severe.
It is very rare for cancer patients to become addicted to opioids. Even if dependency might occur, the benefits of using them far outweigh the potential negative effects. Compared to other pain relievers, opioids are not only very effective but also allow doctors to more ideally control pain by choosing different opioid drugs, dosages, and administration methods based on the pain's severity.