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Cancer and Chemotherapy


The most widely known use of medical marijuana is as an antiemetic – to reduce nausea and vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are commonly experienced by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments, as these treatments involve the use of substances extremely toxic to the body. Patients become so sick they lose their appetites, they have difficulty keeping down any kind of food, and they lose significant amounts of weight causing their health to deteriorate. Worse, many patients will stop taking their treatments in order to avoid the unpleasant experience.

While there are a number of standard prescription drugs available for the same purpose, they often fail to provide relief and can have serious adverse effects, such as dyskinesia (impairment of movement control) and dysphoria (an emotional state of anxiety, depression, and restlessness). Among these drugs are Anzemet, Ativan, Compazine, Decadron, Kytril, Phenergan, Reglan, Thorazine, Torecan and Zofran.

For precisely this reason, oral THC (in the pill form, Marinol) was approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration in 1985. Modern medicine had rediscovered marijuana's antinausea properties in the early 1970's, around the same time that the use of chemotherapy in cancer treatment was becoming widespread. Shortly thereafter, studies at Harvard University and the National Cancer Institute confirmed that THC had antinausea properties and provided positive benefits for patients who used it.

Unfortunately, the drawbacks involved with using Marinol are many. Patients cannot titrate to achieve the proper dosage, and, particularly for those experiencing nausea, it is difficult to swallow or keep down the capsule. When patients use Marinol over long periods of time, it can lose its effectiveness. It can also become expensive, costing patients about $600 per month.

For many people with cancer, medical marijuana is the only thing that makes their anticancer treatments tolerable. It has helped them beat cancer into remission. It has allowed them to maintain their careers, to be participating members of their communities, and to be present with their loved ones.

The anecdotal evidence of marijuana's value as a part of anticancer therapy is well known. But, in addition, we can site a significant amount of scientific evidence with confidence. It does exist, and it has appeared in reports in various medical and scientific journals over the last 25 years.

Science

  • In 1975, Harvard Drs. Stephen E. Sallan, Norman E. Zinberg and Emil Frei conducted the first clinical experiment using oral THC to control chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting. The study concluded that THC was an effective antiemetic for patients receiving cancer chemotherapy. Twelve of the 15 patients who were given oral THC experienced major relief from nausea while none of the 14 who received placebo did.

  • In 1979, a study by National Cancer Institute researcher, Alfred Chang, appeared in Annals of Internal Medicine. Among 15 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, some received THC capsules and others smoked marijuana cigarettes. At some point in the trials, patients also received placebos. The report concluded that, when compared with placebo, both oral THC and smoked marijuana were effective antiemetics. Of the patients who received a placebo, 72% experienced nausea and vomiting. Of the patients who had low concentrations of THC in their blood, 44% suffered from nausea and vomiting. Of those with a moderate level of THC in their blood, 21% experienced nausea and vomiting. As little as 6% experienced nausea and vomiting with fairly high blood concentrations of THC. Smoked marijuana cigarettes delivered higher doses – and eased nausea – more reliably than did THC capsules.

  • In 1985, at Johns Hopkins University, Drs. Richard W. Foltin, Joseph V. Brady and Marian W. Fischman conducted a study on marijuana's effects on food intake in humans. Nine adult male resided in residential laboratory for up to 25 days. Subjects given marijuana cigarettes or cigarettes with a placebo. The administration of two or three active marijuana cigarettes during social access period increased average daily caloric intake. The mean number of calories consumed daily under marijuana conditions (2900-4400 calories) was consistently greater than consumed daily under placebo conditions (2400-3400 calories) for eight of the nine subjects participating in the study.

  • In 1988, a Johns Hopkins University study appeared Appetite. In the study, involving 6 adult males, smoked marijuana was found to increase the caloric intake of normal subjects by 40%, resulting in significant increases in body weight.

  • In 1990, Harvard researchers conducted a survey among a random sample of cancer doctors who were members of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. The researchers wanted to measure the attitudes and experiences of cancer specialists on the use of marijuana for nausea induced by chemotherapy. More than 70% of the cancer doctors who responded reported that at least one of their patients had used marijuana to relieve nausea, and that they had directly observed or discussed such use with each patient. More surprising, 44% of these cancer doctors said that they had recommended the illegal use of marijuana to at least one of their patients.

  • In the same 1990 Harvard survey, doctors of the American Society of Clinical Oncology were asked to compare the effectiveness of Marinol and smoked marijuana. Of the 277 oncologists who felt familiar enough with both drugs to respond, only 13% thought Marinol worked better. In contrast, 44% said they believed smoked marijuana to be better, and 43% thought they were about equally effective.

Research courtesy of Americans For Medical Rights

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