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The availability of life-prolonging treatments such as hormonal therapies and other targeted chemotherapy has led to a sharp decline in breast cancer deaths in the United States.

But despite these advances, there’s a troubling discrepancy in America. Breast cancer death rates continue to remain abnormally high in the Appalachian region of the United States, and it’s partially due to a different epidemic in the U.S: opioid use.

I am an epidemiolog...