A recent scientific review has highlighted the potential of various cannabinoids—like delta-9 THC, CBD, and cannabigerol (CBG)—as promising anticancer agents.
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The report, published in Discover Oncology, found that cannabinoids can limit the growth and spread of tumors through different mechanisms, such as inducing cell death and preventing cancer cells from multiplying.
However, the review also acknowledged that there are significant challenges to incorporating cannabis into cancer treatments. Regulatory barriers and the need for clearer guidance on dosing are just a couple of the hurdles. “Cannabinoids, including Δ9-THC, CBD, and CBG, exhibit significant anticancer activities such as apoptosis induction, autophagy stimulation, cell cycle arrest, anti-proliferation, anti-angiogenesis, and metastasis inhibition,” the authors wrote. They also noted that clinical trials have shown cannabinoids can help shrink tumors and improve overall well-being in palliative care.
Despite the positive results, scientists still don’t fully understand how these benefits work. “The exact mechanisms of action still require extensive research,” the review stated. While cannabinoids have shown potential in cancer therapy, the report highlighted “significant gaps in knowledge” about how they interact with the tumor environment and affect different signaling pathways.
The research team, made up of experts from several countries, emphasized the importance of further large-scale clinical trials to validate their findings. They explained that while cannabis has been used medicinally for centuries in some parts of Asia, its current resurgence has sparked renewed interest in its therapeutic potential for a variety of conditions, including cancer. “By expanding our understanding of cannabinoid mechanisms and their interactions with cancer cells,” the review concluded, “we can better harness their therapeutic potential in oncology.”
To compile the review, the authors examined a wide range of studies on the anticancer properties of cannabinoids, covering cancers like breast cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, and melanoma. The analysis also looked at cannabis’s role in palliative care, especially for people undergoing chemotherapy. Cannabinoids are helpful for managing pain, regulating appetite, and reducing nausea in cancer patients, the report noted.
Interestingly, the review also suggested that cannabinoids might work alongside chemotherapy to improve treatment outcomes. “Research suggests that cannabinoids may enhance the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy,” the authors said, pointing out that cannabinoids like CBD and THC have been shown to make cancer cells more vulnerable to chemotherapy-induced cell death.
This review follows a broader evaluation by the National Cancer Institute, which also explored cannabis use among cancer patients. Published in the JNCI Monographs, this package of 14 articles addressed core questions about how patients use cannabis, including where they get it, how much it costs, and how they communicate with their doctors about it.
Earlier research this year also explored the potential of lesser-known cannabinoids in treating blood cancers. A study published in BioFactors found that compounds like CBG, CBC, and CBN may have anticancer effects, particularly against multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. “Together, our results suggest that CBG, CBC, CBN, and CBDV can be promising anticancer agents for MM,” the authors noted.
While much of the research has been conducted in lab settings or with animal models, there’s growing evidence that cannabinoids could play a significant role in cancer treatment. A 2019 literature review found that cannabis could slow the growth of cancer cells, and in some cases, even kill them.
Meanwhile, other research continues to look at cannabis’s impact on cancer patients' quality of life. One study from late last year found that marijuana use was linked to improved cognition and reduced pain in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Though cannabis can impair thinking in the short term, patients using cannabis from licensed dispensaries actually reported clearer thinking after two weeks.
Additionally, the National Institutes of Health recently awarded $3.2 million to researchers studying the effects of cannabis use during immunotherapy for cancer. They’re also investigating whether access to marijuana can help reduce health disparities.
With increasing interest in both cannabis and other therapeutic substances like psilocybin, federal courts are also considering lawsuits related to legal access to these treatments for cancer patients in end-of-life care.
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