Effects of Cannabis & Cancer

Effects of Cannabis & Cancer



Cannabis has been found to help cancer patients with pain and nausea, and recent research indicates it has tumor-reducing and anti-carcinogenic properties as well. It has proven highly effective at controlling the nausea associated with chemotherapy, and its appetite-stimulation properties help combat wasting. Cannabis can also help control the pain associated with some cancers, as well as that resulting from radiation and chemotherapy treatment.

Cannabis and chemotherapy side effects

One of the most widely studied therapeutic applications for cannabis and the pharmaceutical drugs derived from cannabinoids is in the treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy. Numerous clinical studies have reported that the use of cannabis reduces nausea and vomiting and stimulates appetite, thereby reducing the severity of cachexia, or wasting syndrome, in patients receiving chemotherapy treatment.

The 1999 Institutes of Medicine report concluded: "In patients already experiencing severe nausea or vomiting, pills are generally ineffective, because of the difficulty in swallowing or keeping a pill down, and slow onset of the drug effect. Thus an inhalation (but, preferably not smoking) cannabinoid drug delivery system would be advantageous for treating chemotherapy-induced nausea."[58]

A 1997 inquiry by the British Medical Association found cannabis more effective than Marinol, and a 1998 review by the House of Lords Science & Technology Select Committee concluded that "cannabinoids are undoubtedly effective as anti-emetic agents in vomiting induced by anti-cancer drugs. Some users of both find cannabis itself more effective."[59, 60]

In the last three years, there have been major advances in both cannabinoid pharmacology and in understanding of the cancer disease process. In particular, research has demonstrated the presence of numerous cannabinoid receptors in the nucleus of the solitary tract, a brain center important in control of vomiting.

Although other recently developed anti-emetics are as effective or more effective than oral THC, nabilone or smoked cannabis, for certain individuals unresponsive to conventional anti-emetic drugs, the use of smoked cannabis can provide relief more effectively than oral preparations which may be difficult to swallow or be vomited before taking effect, as the IOM report notes.

The psychoactive euphoriant effects of THC or inhaled cannabis may also provide an improvement in mood. By contrast, several conventional medications commonly prescribed for cancer patients, e.g. phenothiazines such as haloperidol (known as "major tranquillizers"), may produce unwanted side effects such as excessive sedation, flattening of mood, and/or distressing physical "extrapyramidal" symptoms such as uncontrolled or compulsive movements.

While clinical research on using cannabis medicinally has been severely limited by federal prohibition, the accumulated data speaks strongly in favor of considering it as an option for most cancer patients, and many oncologists do. Survey data from a Harvard Medical School study in 1990, before any states had approved medical use, shows that 44% of oncologists were then recommending cannabis to at least some of their patients. Nearly half said they would do so if the laws were changed. According the American Cancer Society's 2003 data, more than 1,300,000 Americans are diagnosed with cancer each year.[61] At least 300,000 of them will undergo chemotherapy, meaning as many as 132,000 patients annually may have cannabis recommended to them to help fight the side effects of conventional treatments.

As the Institutes of Medicine report concluded, "nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety … all can be mitigated by marijuana."

Research on cannabis and chemotherapy

Cannabis is used to combat pain caused by various cancers and nausea induced by chemotherapy agents. Over 30 human clinical trials have examined the effects of cannabis or synthetic cannabinoids on nausea, not including several U.S. state trials that took place between 1978 and 1986.[62] In reviewing this literature, Hall et al. concluded that ". . . THC [delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol] is superior to placebo, and equivalent in effectiveness to other widely-used anti-emetic drugs, in its capacity to reduce the nausea and vomiting caused by some chemotherapy regimens in some cancer patients."[63] A 2003 study found "Cannabinoids—the active components of Cannabis sativa and their derivatives—exert palliative effects in cancer patients by preventing nausea, vomiting and pain and by stimulating appetite. In addition, these compounds have been shown to inhibit the growth of tumor cells in culture and animal models by modulating key cell-signaling pathways. Cannabinoids are usually well tolerated, and do not produce the generalized toxic effects of conventional chemotherapies."[64] Authors of the Institute of Medicine report, "Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base," found that there are many cancer patients for whom cannabis should be a valid medical option.[65]

A random-sample anonymous survey conducted in the spring of 1990 measured the attitudes and experiences of oncologists concerning the antiemetic use of cannabis in cancer chemotherapy patients. Of the respondents expressing an opinion, a majority (54%) thought cannabis should be available by prescription.[66]

Cancer-fighting properties of cannabis

Recent scientific advances in the study of cannabinoid receptors and endocannabinoids have produced exciting new leads in the search for anti-cancer treatments. More than twenty major studies published between 2001 and 2006 have shown that the chemicals in cannabis known as cannabinoids have a significant effect fighting cancer cells. We now know cannabinoids arrest many kinds of cancer growths (brain, breast, leukemic, melanoma, phaeochromocytoma, etc.) through promotion of apoptosis (programmed cell death) that is lost in tumors, and by arresting angiogenesis (increased blood vessel production).

There is growing evidence of direct anti-tumor activity of cannabinoids, specifically CB1 and CB2 agonists, in a range of cancer types including brain (gliomas), skin, pituitary, prostate and bowel. The anti-tumor activity has led in laboratory animals and in-vitro human tissues to regression of tumors, reductions in vascularisation (blood supply) and metastases (secondary tumors), as well as the direct destruction of cancer cells (apoptosis). Indeed, research on the complex interactions of endogenous cannabinoids and receptors is leading to greater scientific understanding of the basic mechanisms by which cancers develop.

The findings of these studies are borne out by the anecdotal reports of such patients as Steve Kubby, whose cannabis use is credited with keeping rare, terminal cancers in a state of remission for decades beyond conventional expectations.

Research on Tumor Reduction

Although cannabis smoke has been shown to have precancerous-causing effects in animal tissue, epidemiological studies have failed to link cannabis smoking with cancer.[67-68] If smoke inhalation is a concern, cannabis can be used with a vaporizer, orally in baked goods, and topically as a tincture or a suppository.

Cannabinoids, the active components of cannabis, have been shown to exhibit anti-tumor properties. Multiple studies published between 2001 and 2003 found that cannabinoids inhibit tumor growth in laboratory animals.[69-73] In another study, injections of synthetic THC eradicated malignant brain tumors in one-third of treated rats, and prolonged life in another third by as much as six weeks.[74] Other journals have also reported on cannabinoids' antitumoral potential.[75-81] Italian research teams reported in 1998 and 2001 that the endocannabinoidanandamide, which binds to the same brain receptors as cannabis, "potently and selectively inhibits the proliferation of human breast cancer cells in vitro" by interfering with their DNA production cycle.[82-84] Cannabis has been shown in recent studies to inhibit the growth of thyroid, prostate and colorectal cancer cells.[85-87] THC has been found to cause the death of glioma cells.[88-89] And research on pituitary cancers shows cannabinoids are key to regulating human pituitary hormone secretion.[90-93]

In 2004 an Italian research team demonstrated that the administration of the non-psychoactive cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) to nude mice significantly inhibited the growth of subcutaneously implanted U87 human glioma cells. The authors of the study concluded that "… CBD was able to produce a significant antitumor activity both in vitro and in vivo, thus suggesting a possible application of CBD as an antineoplastic agent (an agent that inhibits the growth of malignant cells.)"[94]

More recently, investigators at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute reported that the administration of THC on human glioblastomamultiforme cell lines decreased the proliferation of malignant cells and induced apoptosis (programmed cell death) more rapidly than did the administration of an alternative synthetic cannabis receptor agonist.[95]

Oprah Turns Her Back - Legalities of Hemp Cure

This is not a Drug issue, not even a legal issue, it is a people issue! A man named Rick Simpson approaches the Canadian government after discovering a product that has cured many different illness's including cancers.
One would think, that a man who is sane and respectable, and approaches the authorities of his Country with a cure for cancer, well one would believe, or like to believe, that there would be some type of interest. Then scientist's would find out about this possible cure for cancer.

Basically, Rick was naive to some extent, he was honest and had already told the authorities what he was doing i.e. making the hemp oil from his own plants. But nothing happened and he carried and made his medication which actually cures most cancers.

When Rick went to trial in Canada he had 10 people who no longer had cancer and were there to give testimony & six of these people were accompanied by there doctors who were also to give testimonials, however the Judge dis-allowed them from giving evidence.

Rick was not sent to prison. In November 2010, he was invited to Amsterdam to accept the award for 'freedom fighter' of the year. While in Netherlands the police again raided his home, taking plastic bowls and other things that they did not take at the last bust. They also took his security camera's but luckily his eldest son arrived at the house and filmed the raid from outside the house.
Rick Simpson is still in exile in Europe.

Cannabis effective in treating different cancers.

Source: ABC News October 18 2009by

Dave Stancliff

Marijuana proven effective in treating different types of cancers

Marijuana opponents in the federal government are up against the wall and the wall is crumbling. The feds have fought marijuana use fordecades, disregarding its medicinal applications, in a senseless waragainst the herb.The demonized killer weed is turning out to be anything but that. Asmyths about this ancient herb are dispelled, scientists are using itto treat everything from chemotherapy-induced nausea to differentcancers.In August, The British Journal of Cancer published the results of astudy that found THC (the main active component in marijuana) iseffective in fighting prostate cancer. Reportedly, pot attacksprostate cancer cell types that do not respond to the usual hormonetreatments.A recent study by a team of Spanish researchers discovered THC killsvarious brain cancer cells by a process known as autophagy. Michigan'snew law regarding marijuana use went into effect in April. Patients,with doctor's prescriptions, get a state-issued ID Card (a lot likeCalifornia's) which allows them to grow and use marijuana to treatpain and other symptoms of cancer and multiple sclerosis.In October 2003, the University of California, San Francisco,released the results of a study that said pot was effective when usedin combination with opiate pain medications. Dr. Donald Abrams, MD,UCSF professor of Clinical Medicine and chief of theHematology-Oncology Division at SF General Hospital Medical Center,told the press, “Marijuana uses a different mechanism than opiatesand could augment the pain relief of opiate analgesics.”The Marijuana Policy Project recently reported on a study thatsuggests moderate amounts of marijuana use reduces risk of head andneck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This study suggests cannabinoidshave potential anti-tumor properties.A study released in July, “White matter in adolescents with historyof marijuana use and binge drinking,” says marijuana use actuallyprotects brain cells. The study involved adolescents with alcohol usedisorders.One group had just alcohol-drinking teens. The other group drankalcohol and used marijuana. The report said that binge drinkers whoused marijuana retained more white matter than the other group. Inother words, alcohol destroyed more brain cells when a person didn'tuse marijuana.How many times have you heard someone say, “Pot destroys your braincells”? If that's true, what about this study? Why do doctors usemarijuana to fight brain cancer if it destroys brain cells? Rememberthe Spanish study?In April of 2007, Harvard University researchers released the resultsof a study that concluded THC cuts tumor growth in common lung cancersand reduces the ability of the cancer to spread.A study conducted by UCLA's medical school in June 2005 concludedsmoking marijuana did not cause lung cancer. That impressive piece ofnews, along with the Harvard study, seems to have been ignored by mostmass media outlets.Fred Gardner, editor of the medical marijuana research journal,O'Shaughnessy's, recently wrote an article, “Smoking Marijuana DoesNot Cause Cancer,” about this groundbreaking UCLA study that barelymade headlines.Gardner reported that an investigative team was contracted with theNational Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in 2002 “to conduct a large,population-based, case-controlled study that would prove definitivelythat heavy, long-term marijuana use increases the risk of lung andupper-airway cancers.”Guess what? This study backfired! It turned out that increasedmarijuana use did not result in higher rates of lung and pharyngealcancer. The study also concluded that tobacco smokers who also puffedon pot were at a slightly lower risk of getting lung cancer than thosewho didn't!Perhaps the icing on the cake is the fact that UCLA Medical professorDonald Tashkin led the investigation. Tashkin has led governmentstudies on marijuana since the 1970s and is well known for his beliefthat heavy marijuana use causes lung and upper-airway cancers. To hiscredit as a professional, he ended up disproving his own originalhypothesis.Despite the government's efforts to keep it illegal, it's apparentthat marijuana does offer help in the battle to treat cancer. Thefacts about marijuana's medical potentials are finally causing cracksin the government's wall of lies built up over the years.As It Stands, it's time to bring down that wall.Dave Stancliff is a columnist for The Times-Standard. He is a formernewspaper editor and publisher. Comments can be sent torichstan1@suddenlink.net <mailto:richstan1@suddenlink.net> or www.davesblogcentral.com <http://www.davesblogcentral.com/>http://www.times-standard.com/othervoices/ci_13588713--If you do not want to receive any more newsletters, http://www.lca-uk.org/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=dd7fc5f7e9918311b5e63b09a52b6921To update your preferences and to unsubscribe visithttp://www.lca-uk.org/lists/?p=preferences&uid=dd7fc5f7e9918311b5e63b09a52b6921Forward a Message to Someonehttp://www.lca-uk.org/lists/?p=forward&uid=dd7fc5f7e9918311b5e63b09a52b6921&mid=46--Powered by PHPlist, www.phplist.com --