According to a new study published in the journal BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, the majority of cancer patients suffering from refractory pain say medical marijuana helps them cope with their illness.
For the study researchers from the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Tel Aviv University, both in Israel, as well as the Hospital Quirónsalud de Tenerife in Spain, examined 252 cancer patients. Of these, 126 are authorized to use medical cannabis in Israel.
“Medical cannabis [MC] was mainly started for pain relief, sleep difficulties and anorexia”, states the study. “About 70% of patients reported subjective improvement from MC, with almost 40% reporting a significant improvement in coping with their illness.”
Researchers found that side effects “were generally mild, with fatigue and dizziness being the most common (21.78% and 23.46%, respectively).”
No patient required dedicated medical care for side effects. Of non-users, 65% had tried MC before and stopped due to lack of effectiveness or side effects (39.7% and 34.6%, respectively).
“A large majority of patients using cannabis report that the therapy significantly improves their ability to cope with their illness, with almost 40 percent stating it has done so to a large extent”, states the study’s lead researchers. “In this cohort of patients with intractable cancer pain that has proved minimally responsive to numerous conventional treatments, including of course powerful opioids, adjuvants and radiotherapy, this seems to be a striking response [and] seems to suggest that this therapy should be considered in addition to current therapies for cancer-related pain and could be offered to patients even earlier in the course of their illness and treatments than is acceptable now.”
Researchers conclude:
Refractory cancer pain necessitates innovative approaches. This registry highlights that MC can effectively improve symptoms in non-responsive patients, with favourable safety profiles for this vulnerable population.
