Most Italian cancer patients know about medical cannabis but almost none learned about it from their doctors
Among 232 Italian cancer patients, 81% had heard of medical cannabis but only 2% learned about it from healthcare professionals, while 34% had considered using it for their own symptoms, revealing a massive information gap.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
81% of patients had heard about medical cannabis, but only 2% from healthcare professionals. 34% had considered using cannabis for their own health problems, especially pain (55%). Patients with higher education were more likely to know about cannabis and medical cannabis. Metastatic patients were less informed than those on adjuvant treatment.
Key Numbers
232 patients. 81% heard of medical cannabis. 2% from healthcare professionals. 34% considered using it. Pain most common reason (55%). 18% believed cannabis could worsen symptoms. Higher education: OR 3.52 for cannabis knowledge, OR 3.21 for medical cannabis knowledge.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional knowledge survey of 232 cancer patients at two Italian outpatient cancer centers and a home care service, February-April 2018.
Why This Research Matters
Medical cannabis has been legally available in Italy since 1998, yet only 2% of cancer patients learn about it from their healthcare team. This communication failure leaves patients to rely on potentially unreliable information sources.
The Bigger Picture
The gap between patient awareness (81%) and clinician communication (2%) is one of the starkest findings in medical cannabis literature. Patients are clearly interested and searching for information, but clinicians are not providing it.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Italian healthcare context may differ from other countries. Self-report survey. Patients at cancer centers may not represent all cancer patients. Only captured awareness and attitudes, not actual use patterns.
Questions This Raises
- ?Why are clinicians not discussing medical cannabis with cancer patients?
- ?Would clinician education improve this communication?
- ?Does the information gap lead to patients using cannabis unsafely?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Only 2% learned from doctors
- Evidence Grade:
- Rated moderate because the sample is reasonable and the findings are clinically striking, though the single-country design limits generalizability.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2019 using 2018 data from Italy.
- Original Title:
- What cancer patients actually know regarding medical cannabis? A cross-sectional survey with a critical analysis of the current attitudes.
- Published In:
- Journal of oncology pharmacy practice : official publication of the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners, 25(6), 1439-1444 (2019)
- Authors:
- Cortellini, Alessio, Porzio, Giampiero(2), Cofini, Vincenza, Necozione, Stefano, Giusti, Raffaele, Marchetti, Paolo, Aloe Spiriti, Maria A, Costanzi, Andrea, Peris, Flaminia, Ravoni, Giulio, Spinelli, Giuseppe, Ficorella, Corrado, Verna, Lucilla
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01993
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do cancer patients want to know about medical cannabis?
Yes. 81% had already heard about it and 34% had considered using it. But only 2% received information from healthcare professionals, forcing patients to seek information elsewhere.
What do cancer patients want cannabis for?
Pain was the most common reason (55% of those considering it). Medical cannabis is legally indicated in Italy for cancer-related nausea, vomiting, and pain.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01993APA
Cortellini, Alessio; Porzio, Giampiero; Cofini, Vincenza; Necozione, Stefano; Giusti, Raffaele; Marchetti, Paolo; Aloe Spiriti, Maria A; Costanzi, Andrea; Peris, Flaminia; Ravoni, Giulio; Spinelli, Giuseppe; Ficorella, Corrado; Verna, Lucilla. (2019). What cancer patients actually know regarding medical cannabis? A cross-sectional survey with a critical analysis of the current attitudes.. Journal of oncology pharmacy practice : official publication of the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners, 25(6), 1439-1444. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078155219843161
MLA
Cortellini, Alessio, et al. "What cancer patients actually know regarding medical cannabis? A cross-sectional survey with a critical analysis of the current attitudes.." Journal of oncology pharmacy practice : official publication of the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078155219843161
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "What cancer patients actually know regarding medical cannabi..." RTHC-01993. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/cortellini-2019-what-cancer-patients-actually
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.