2023 Marijuana Cancer Studies: Emphasis Still on Pain Relief

My Cannabis has reviewed the latest studies on marijuana and cancer. What we discovered is that a significant majority of these studies have placed a strong emphasis on exploring the potential benefits of marijuana in relieving pain among cancer patients.

During our comprehensive analysis, we uncovered a total of five published studies that specifically investigated the intersection of cannabis and cancer. Among these studies, four of them primarily centered around understanding the effects of marijuana in managing pain experienced by individuals battling cancer. The other two studies explored the potential benefits of CBD in the realms of palliative care and suppressing prostate cancer. 

Here are details of these studies: 

CBD Suppresses Prostate Cancer Cells (Feb,2023)

Animal studies were conducted to evaluate the impact of certain compounds on the growth of PC3-mouse derived cancer cells.  Treatment with varying concentrations of Cannabis sativa extract, cannabidiol, and cisplatin showed that all three compounds inhibited the growth of PC3 cancer cells. This was achieved by activating caspase 3/7 activity, inducing apoptosis, and regulating the expression of important genes involved in cell growth. In mouse models, the tumors showed reduced growth after treatment with cannabidiol and cisplatin.

The findings suggest that cannabidiol, when combined with the silencing of retinoblastoma binding protein 6 (RBBP6), can be an effective therapy for treating prostate cancer cells. This highlights the potential role of cannabidiol, rather than Cannabis sativa extract, in reducing cancer progression.

CBD Not Effective in Cancer Palliation (March, 2023)

A study that was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology investigated whether CBD oil can help alleviate symptoms in patients with advanced cancer who are receiving palliative care. The participants in the study were adults with advanced cancer experiencing significant symptom distress, as determined by their scores on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS). They were divided into two groups, with one group receiving CBD oil and the other receiving a placebo, both taken for a period of 28 days. The CBD oil was administered in gradually increasing doses, ranging from 0.5 mL once daily to 2 mL three times a day. The goal was to assess whether CBD oil could effectively improve symptom distress in these patients.

The researchers found that CBD oil did not contribute to additional relief of symptom distress beyond what was achieved with specialist palliative care alone.

Medical Cannabis Effective For Cancer Related Pain (May, 2023)

A recent study examined data from cancer patients registered in the Quebec Cannabis Registry. Patients completed questionnaires and provided information on their medication and pain levels at multiple follow-up visits. Adverse events were also documented.

The study involved 358 cancer patients. Most of the reported adverse events were not serious, with only two cases of pneumonia and cardiovascular events possibly unrelated to medical cannabis (MC). The real-world data from this large study suggest that MC is a safe and effective complementary treatment for relieving pain in cancer patients. However, further research with randomized placebo-controlled trials is needed to confirm these findings.

Observational Study Reveals Potential Benefits of Cannabis Use for Cancer Patients (April, 2023)

In a groundbreaking observational study, researchers have sought to uncover the potential benefits of cannabis use among cancer patients. The study involved a group of twenty-five participants, predominantly female, with a mean age of 54.3 years. Over the course of the study, participants completed a series of appointments, including a baseline assessment, a two-week period of ad libitum cannabis use, and an acute administration appointment. Various self-report questionnaires were utilized to assess primary outcomes, while cognitive function was evaluated using the Stroop task, a measure of objective cognitive performance.

The study uncovered important results. Sustained cannabis use during the ad libitum period was linked to improvements in pain intensity, pain interference, sleep quality, subjective cognitive function, and reaction times in the Stroop task. However, there was no significant change in general quality of life. Notably, higher levels of cannabidiol (CBD) use during the ad libitum period showed stronger improvements in pain intensity and sleep quality. Acute cannabis use led to increased feelings of subjective high and improved pain intensity. Higher levels of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) use during the acute administration appointment were associated with more significant increases in subjective high. Importantly, the study found a positive correlation between improvements in pain intensity and subjective cognitive function.

Medical Cannabis Use Not Effective in cancer pain (June, 2023)

Extensive Cochrane review was used to find double‐blind randomized, controlled trials (RCT) of medical cannabis, plant‐derived and synthetic cannabis‐based medicines against placebo or any other active treatment for cancer pain in adults. The studies involved had at least 10 participants per treatment arm. The researchers found  14 (oromucosal nabiximols, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) studies involving 1823 participants.

The researchers found that oromucosal nabiximols and THC were not effective in relieving moderate-to-severe opioid-refractory cancer pain. Additionally, nabilone was not effective in reducing pain associated with (radio-) chemotherapy in individuals with head and neck cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. 

Synthetic THC analogues, when compared to a single low-dose morphine equivalent, did not provide superior pain relief for moderate-to-severe cancer pain. Furthermore, CBD did not offer additional benefits when combined with specialist palliative care alone for pain reduction in people with advanced cancer.

Need to Expand the Scope of Cannabis Research in Cancer Management

The field of cannabis research in cancer management is expanding, with a growing number of studies being conducted. In 2023, the majority of researchers are primarily focused on exploring the potential of cannabis in pain management for cancer patients. However, there is a clear need to further explore and investigate other potential applications of cannabis in cancer management beyond pain relief. By expanding the scope of research, we can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the therapeutic benefits that cannabis may offer in improving the overall well-being and quality of life for individuals battling cancer.