Cannabinoid improves survival rates of mice with pancreatic cancer
July 30, 2018
Science Daily/Queen Mary University of London
Mice with pancreatic cancer that were treated with a naturally occurring constituent of medicinal cannabis alongside chemotherapy, survived almost three times longer than those treated with chemotherapy alone, a new study reports.
The study is published in the journal Oncogene and was led by Queen Mary University of London and Curtin University, Australia. It tested the impact of the cannabinoid Cannabidiol (CBD) on the use of the commonly used chemotherapy medication Gemcitabine as a treatment for pancreatic cancer in mice.
Each year around 9,800 people in the UK are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The disease is particularly aggressive and has one of the lowest survival rate of all cancers.
Lead researcher Professor Marco Falasca from Queen Mary University of London said: "This is a remarkable result. We found that mice with pancreatic cancer survived nearly three times longer if a constituent of medicinal cannabis was added to their chemotherapy treatment.
"Cannabidiol is already approved for use in clinics, which means we can quickly go on to test this in human clinical trials. If we can reproduce these effects in humans, cannabidiol could be in use in cancer clinics almost immediately, compared to having to wait for authorities to approve a new drug.
"The life expectancy for pancreatic cancer patients has barely changed in the last 40 years because there are very few, and mostly only palliative care, treatments available. Given the five-year survival rate for people with pancreatic cancer is less than seven per cent, the discovery of new treatments and therapeutic strategies is urgently needed."
The cannabinoid CBD does not cause psychoactive effects, as opposed to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) -- the cannabinoid known to cause the psychoactive effects in cannabis. As such, CBD is already cleared for use in the clinic, and does not face the same challenges as products including cannabis oil, which contain controlled substances such as THC.
The researchers add that CBD is also known to improve the side effects of chemotherapy, including nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, meaning it could also improve the quality of life of patients undergoing chemotherapy.
The research was supported by the UK charity Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund and the Avner Pancreatic Cancer Foundation and also involved researchers from The Beatson Institute for Cancer Research in Scotland.
The study only looked at the effect of this treatment in mice, and clinical trials in humans are needed to confirm whether or not CBD improves survival rates of pancreatic cancer patients.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180730160618.htm
How can medical marijuana benefit older adults?
April 19, 2018
Science Daily/Wiley
Managing symptoms such as pain, nausea, and psychiatric illness can be challenging as people age. A new Journal of the American Geriatrics Society review highlights what's currently known about the indications and risks of medical marijuana use for older adults.
The review notes that medical marijuana appears useful for the treatment of pain (particularly neuropathic pain) and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. It has neuropsychiatric side effects but even when smoked, it does not appear to increase the risk for lung cancer.
Importantly, however, medical marijuana's positive and negative effects have not been thoroughly studied specifically in older adults.
"There is a dearth of evidence supporting the use of cannabinoids for medical indications in older adults. Common sense practices are applicable here though, including performing a thorough assessment for side effects and expecting that lower doses will have a greater impact," said lead author Dr. Joshua Briscoe, of the Duke University Medical Center. "As younger generations age, it is also important to expect that they have experience using marijuana in recreational contexts, which will affect their approach to its use in a medical setting."
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180419131034.htm