Can CBD Help Treat Cancer?

Cannabinoid (CBD) is one of the many compounds found inside cannabis. Once found at vitamin or novelty shops, it’s now available commonly at your regular dispensary and even at the grocery store in multiple edible forms.

From CBD oil which can be dropped under the tongue, to roll-ons for topical application to the skin, to vaping, or added into edible products – CBD can be found in many forms for easy consumption or application.

A common understanding is that CBD oil helps treat patients who have cancer, through their treatment and in combating the side effects as well. Though it’s still too early to claim this, there’s evidence to suggest that CBD might help manage or decrease the side effects of cancer treatment to some extent.

Most research conducted in this regard is based upon animal studies and while their outcomes are promising, they do not help to form a sound conclusion. There’s a need for more research in this field to find conclusive results. However, in the near future, patients with cancer seeking to ease their side effects should consult medical marijuana doctors as well as their regular physicians to ensure they are taking a medically appropriate dosage of CBD to suit their condition.

To help you understand the basics of how CBD might benefit patients with cancer, we’ve put together some educational information in this article.

What Is CBD?

CBD is one of the many phytochemicals found inside the cannabis Sativa plant. It has been the most popular cannabinoid apart from tetrahydrocannabinol and plays a crucial part in psychological treatments.

Unlike THC, CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabis compound with widespread medical benefits and will not produce any euphoric, psychoactive effects like THC. Learn more about CBD and how it helps here.

How Does CBD Help Patients with Cancer?

Though a lot more research is required to prove that CBD is beneficial for cancer patients, some existing evidence suggests this may be proven in the future.

Back in 2016, a group of researchers tried studying how cannabinoids could be used as anticancer agents. The outcomes were positive, resulting in the fact that an endocannabinoid system could play a crucial role in tumor cells’ progression and generation. Therefore, the administration of different cannabinoids could help to reduce the growth of tumor cells. These experiments were conducted using test tube samples and animal models, and so the outcomes couldn’t be considered conclusive evidence.

A survey conducted by the National Cancer Institute determined that CBD could help enhance the potential of several medications used by the doctors while treating cancer patients, maximizing their recovery chances.

A literature review focused on determining the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids in treating cancer was conducted back in 2019. It resulted in the fact that cannabinoids could effectively contribute to tumor growth modulation in multiple in vivo and in vitro cancer models. The process cannabinoids undergo while modulating the tumor growth is called tumorigenesis. It includes the proliferation and death of tumor cells alongside the interaction of the immune system with cannabinoids, which enhances the potential of medications and therapeutic approaches used in cancer patients’ treatment.

Another study conducted in 2019 focused on pancreatic cancer. It suggested that cannabinoids might help slow the growth of tumor cells, reduce the invasion of tumor cells, and induce their death. A related study conducted in 2014 also determined that CBD might also possess the potential of controlling the spread of colorectal cancer cells.

Despite all these research outcomes and evidence, definitively saying that CBD could help to treat cancer would be a hasty statement. Most of the evidence supporting this statement is either from animal studies or laboratory experiments. More research and human experimentation are required to fully back this statement.

Research on CBD has been a difficult thing for decades because of the imposed regulations and policies. However, it’s becoming easier with the widespread legalization of cannabis across the majority of states and cities in the U.S. Many of these states have also established research centers focused on studying the medical benefits of cannabis and its popular compounds such as CBD and THC. We can expect a lot of progress on studies of CBD and cancer treatment in the near future.

Does CBD Help with The Side Effects of Cancer Treatments?

While cancer treatments such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy tend to be highly effective in recovering cancer patients, they’re likely to impose several side effects on patients at the same time. Research and experiments have determined that CBD may help in overcoming these side effects of cancer treatments.

Some of the common side effects of cancer treatments that might be reduced with CBD consumption or application includes:

• Nausea – A research study conducted back in the year 2016 suggested that Sativex, a medicine containing both THC and CBD, may help to relieve nausea felt among cancer patients post their chemotherapy sessions.
• Pain – Chronic pain is a common side effect of cancer treatments such as radiation therapies and chemotherapies. And CBD is popular for its amazing pain management effects across the consumers. A study conducted back in 2012 also recommends CBD as a potential compound for relieving pain among cancer patients.
• Sleep – A research study conducted in 2012 determines that CBD could help to increase the sleep duration among patients with insomnia. It has the capabilities of reducing anxiety and pain, which in turn maximizes sound sleep among patients.
• Appetite – Many studies conducted regarding the impacts of CBD recommend that it has the potential to either decrease or increase appetite among human beings as a side effect. A review held in 2018 determined that among 2,409 different people who consumed CBD, 6.35% experienced an inclined hunger as a side effect.

Get Your Florida Medical Marijuana Card

While the researchers further investigate how CBD can help to treat cancer, you could always take the medical advice for cannabis consumption from the medical marijuana doctors in Florida and get your card issued at the same time.

All you need to do is complete our patient qualification test, and a doctor will be assigned based on your medical history and information. They will further assist you through determining adequate cannabis consumption as well as the issuance of a medical marijuana card.