Cancer medical cannabis treatment
There are over 200 different types of cancer, and so, unfortunately, there are a whole host of different symptoms. Some are more specific to the type of cancer, whilst others, like pain, anxiety, and fatigue, are commonly experienced. Recently, an increasing number of patients in the UK have turned to prescribed cannabis-based cancer treatments when traditional approaches have been failing, to help manage their cancer pain and other symptoms.
1 in 5
Know medical cannabis can be prescribed for cancer pain, in certain circumstances.
Over ½
Of those undergoing anticancer treatments experience pain, say the British Medical Journal.
64%
Decrease in pain after consuming medical cannabis was reported in a survey of US medical cannabis patients.
90 seconds
In the UK, every 90 seconds, someone is diagnosed with cancer. This amounts to 391,000 new cases each year.
Symptoms
Anxiety
Depression
Excessive tiredness
Fatigue
Heavy night sweats
Unexplained or abnormal bleeding / Bruising
Unexplained pain
Unintentional weight loss
If you are suffering from any of these symptoms. Please speak with your GP to find out more.
Treatment options:
Because there are so many different types of cancer, there are also a large number of different medications, and drug combinations, that can be prescribed to treat cancer. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are commonly used, but patients may also receive hormone therapy, targeted cancer drugs, immunotherapy drugs or painkillers to treat and manage their symptoms.
Buprenorphine
Codeine
Dihydrocodeine
Fentanyl
Morphine
Oxycodone
Phosphate
Tramadol
Find out if you may be eligible for medical cannabis cancer treatments here
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A word from our specialist
"Cancer pain can be difficult to treat but can be helped by using medical cannabis. This is because cannabis interacts with the endocannabinoid system and can alter pain perception. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and muscle relaxation properties which can all help to reduce the pain associated with this disease. Cancer pain can also be very emotionally distressing and cannabis can help improve mood too."
Dr Sue Clenton
Oncology
Find out if you may be eligible for medical cannabis cancer treatments here
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Can medical cannabis help cancer pain or other cancer symptoms?
Although research in this area is ongoing, medical cannabis has shown great potential in relieving pain, and it's thought this is because it is able to interact with the part of the brain responsible for pain perception and regulation.
An analysis of the Canadian Quebec Cannabis Registry found that at 3, 6 and 9 month follow-up appointments patients with cancer pain reported experiencing significant decreases in their average pain intensity, the level of pain interference with daily life, and overall pain severity when using medical cannabis products.
At each follow up, it was also noted that the rate of other medications or opioids these patients were using in combination with medical cannabis consistently fell at each appointment.
There are other areas in which medical cannabis may potentially offer relief to patients with cancer, like by relieving anxiety and addressing sleep concerns. Cannabis has also demonstrated its potential as an effective anti-sickness treatment, and in the UK the NHS can, but rarely do, prescribe a synthetic cannabis-based medicine called Nabilone to those suffering from chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
Private medical cannabis clinics like Releaf have more prescribing freedom in the UK, and can legally prescribe whole plant, dried medical cannabis flower, or prescribed cannabis oil to help manage a range of cancer-related symptoms.