Today we're going to look at some of the amazing effects cannabis, THC and cannabinoids have for cancer patients. Most of today's information comes from the website for the National Cancer Institute (http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/patient/Page2#Section_15) where you can also find a lot more information than just what's posted here and I encourage everyone to give it a look.
First and foremost I must say that there are few human trials of cannabis' benefits for cancer patients because it's illegal and not FDA approved. However, the results are pretty astounding and it frustrates me to no end that such a miracle working plant is not being given the chance to help cure and treat one of the biggest killers in our country. That being said, let's dive in. I'll list and detail some of the symptoms that have been tested and treated with cannabis, cannabinoids, and THC. For details on the trials, follow the link above and do some research for yourself.
Nausea and Vomiting: A major side effect of cancer and approved treatments, nausea and vomiting have been proven treatable through the use of cannabinoids. A couple of these drugs have actually been FDA approved for use in patients undergoing cancer therapy because of their incredible efficacy. The chemicals in these medicines have treated nausea and vomiting as well or better than some of the more common treatments used.
Loss of Appetite: Another common side effect of cancer and cancer treatments is the loss of appetite. "The munchies" are a scientifically proven phenomena. The chemicals in marijuana react with receptors in your brain to literally create hunger. The trials done for advanced cancer patients, while successful, were not as impressive as those done for patients suffering from weight and appetite loss due to HIV and AIDS. However, the animal trials done for this study did show increased appetite and a stopping of weight loss.
Pain Relief: This topic truly amazes me. Our pharmaceutical market is flooded with opiates and opioids used to control pain in patients suffering from a slue of different diseases, disorders, and situational injuries. These drugs are highly addictive and have a number of negative side effects on the user's body. They are also one of the top reasons for people entering addiction clinics. It baffles me that something natural and grown from the ground takes a back seat to these drugs. There have been a number of human and animal studies that showed THC, cannabinoids and cannabis to relieve pain in advanced cancer patients and patients with other ailments as well or better than commonly used opioids and opiates. I won't even get into the side effects or withdrawal symptoms of either of these drugs, but I will say that there are virtually none stemmed from marijuana 'withdrawal' and the symptoms of withdrawal from other painkillers is literally a frightening thing to see and a much bigger physical pain than the one the drug is meant to treat.
Anxiety and Sleep: There are few studies on the treatment of these particular symptoms with marijuana in cancer patients. However, the few that have been done conclude that the patients had an overall better mood, less anxiety and stress, and an easier time sleeping along with improved sleep quality.
THE BIG ONE
Antitumor Studies: There have been no conclusive human studies (yet) on the effects cannabinoids have on tumors, but there are a number of clinical trials on mice and rats with amazing results. The cannabinoids found in marijuana not only deterred the growth of tumors, but reversed it in some cases by killing off the cancer cells and protecting the normal, healthy cells. I don't need a long paragraph to explain how amazing and beneficial this could be. Marijuana could literally help reverse cancer.
This was a long post, but I hope everyone found it educational. I do urge you to read over the link at the top and find some more answers to questions you may have. If anyone has something specific they'd like to see covered, just leave me a comment and I'll do my best.
Last but not least, I love including some videos of patients who've been helped by marijuana, so here are a few you ought to watch!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eAXRLty5e4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cUC8tjoB_0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F3mTf1z3Yo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNerRVJklsg&feature=relmfu
Educate and Enjoy!
MGkush
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