Cannabis in cancer: helpful for symptoms, but could it interfere with immunotherapy?
Cannabis is useful for cancer-related pain and nausea, and preclinical data suggest anti-tumor properties, but its immunomodulatory effects could potentially interfere with cancer immunotherapy and bone marrow transplants.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Current cancer applications of cannabinoids are mainly palliative (pain and anti-emetic effects). Preclinical data on anti-proliferative properties remain inconsistent, with no conclusive animal model or clinical trial data. Critically, the immunomodulatory effects of cannabinoids may conflict with cancer immunotherapy and bone marrow transplant approaches, where robust immune function is essential.
Key Numbers
No specific clinical outcome data. Review synthesized preclinical and clinical knowledge about cannabinoid immunomodulation in oncology.
How They Did This
Review covering preclinical models, limited clinical data, and the specific concern about interactions between cannabinoid immunomodulation and cancer immunotherapy.
Why This Research Matters
As immunotherapy becomes a standard cancer treatment, the potential for cannabis to dampen the immune response it relies on is a clinically important but understudied concern.
The Bigger Picture
The potential contradiction between cannabis's anti-tumor properties and its immune-dampening effects highlights the complexity of using cannabinoids alongside modern cancer treatments.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Narrative review. Anti-tumor data are preclinical and inconsistent. Immunomodulatory interactions with immunotherapy are theoretical. No clinical trials address this interaction.
Questions This Raises
- ?Should cancer patients on immunotherapy avoid cannabis?
- ?Could timed or targeted cannabinoid dosing avoid immune interference?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Potential conflict between cannabis and cancer immunotherapy
- Evidence Grade:
- Thoughtful review raising an important clinical question, but based on indirect evidence and theoretical concerns.
- Study Age:
- 2020 review.
- Original Title:
- The Highs and Lows of Cannabis in Cancer Treatment and Bone Marrow Transplantation.
- Published In:
- Rambam Maimonides medical journal, 11(1) (2020)
- Authors:
- Almogi-Hazan, Osnat(4), Khuja, Iman(4), Ritter, Sivan, Or, Reuven
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02379
Evidence Hierarchy
Summarizes existing research on a topic.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Should cancer patients use cannabis during immunotherapy?
This review raises concern that cannabis's immunomodulatory effects could potentially interfere with cancer immunotherapy, which relies on a strong immune response. The interaction has not been studied in clinical trials.
Can cannabis fight cancer directly?
Preclinical data show some anti-proliferative effects, but results are inconsistent and no clinical trials have confirmed direct anti-tumor benefits in patients.
Read More on RethinkTHC
- CBD-oil-quality-guide
- anxiety-medication-after-quitting-weed
- cannabis-chemotherapy-nausea
- cannabis-chronic-pain-research
- cannabis-epilepsy-CBD-Epidiolex
- cbd-anxiety-research-evidence
- cbd-for-weed-withdrawal
- cbd-vs-thc-difference
- medical-benefits-of-cannabis
- quitting-weed-before-surgery
- quitting-weed-medication-interactions
- quitting-weed-pregnancy
- quitting-weed-pregnant
- seniors-older-adults-cannabis-risks-medications
- weed-breastfeeding-THC-breast-milk
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02379APA
Almogi-Hazan, Osnat; Khuja, Iman; Ritter, Sivan; Or, Reuven. (2020). The Highs and Lows of Cannabis in Cancer Treatment and Bone Marrow Transplantation.. Rambam Maimonides medical journal, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.5041/RMMJ.10391
MLA
Almogi-Hazan, Osnat, et al. "The Highs and Lows of Cannabis in Cancer Treatment and Bone Marrow Transplantation.." Rambam Maimonides medical journal, 2020. https://doi.org/10.5041/RMMJ.10391
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "The Highs and Lows of Cannabis in Cancer Treatment and Bone ..." RTHC-02379. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/almogi-hazan-2020-the-highs-and-lows
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.