Most Pediatric Cancer Patients Using Medical Cannabis Report Symptom Relief
A survey of 24 pediatric cancer patients (15 parents of minors, 9 young adults) enrolled in a medical cannabis program found most reported cannabis helped with nausea, appetite, pain, anxiety, and sleep, with minimal side effects.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Top symptoms targeted: nausea/vomiting (n=20), appetite (n=15), pain (n=13), sadness/anxiety (n=7), sleep (n=7). 17 of 24 reported cannabis helped. Symptoms relieved: nausea/vomiting (n=15), appetite (n=13), sadness/anxiety (n=10), pain (n=9), sleep (n=9). Five reported side effects (mental changes). Three believed cannabis was treating their cancer.
Key Numbers
24 respondents; 20 targeted nausea; 17 reported cannabis helped; 15 relieved nausea; 13 relieved appetite; 5 reported side effects; 3 believed it treated cancer.
How They Did This
Anonymous 12-item survey of pediatric cancer patients certified for a medical cannabis program. 15 parents of children/adolescents under 18 and 9 young adults aged 18+.
Why This Research Matters
Evidence on medical cannabis in pediatric oncology is extremely limited. This study captures real-world experiences of children and young adults using cannabis through a medical program, providing data to inform clinical conversations that are already happening.
The Bigger Picture
Pediatric oncology teams increasingly face questions about medical cannabis. This small survey suggests most patients report benefit with minimal side effects, but the belief that cannabis treats cancer (reported by 3 patients) highlights the need for careful clinical communication.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Very small sample (n=24). No control group. Self/parent-reported. Selection bias from medical cannabis program enrollment. No verification of symptom improvement. Anonymity prevents linking responses to clinical records.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would controlled trials confirm these patient-reported benefits in pediatric oncology?
- ?How should clinicians address the belief that cannabis treats cancer?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 17 of 24 pediatric cancer patients reported cannabis helped
- Evidence Grade:
- Provides rare pediatric oncology patient-experience data but very small sample and no controls limit conclusions.
- Study Age:
- 2025 survey of pediatric cancer patients enrolled in a medical cannabis program.
- Original Title:
- Pediatric Patient Experiences Using Medical Cannabis in Cancer Symptom Management as Reported by Parents of Children and Adolescents and by Young Adults.
- Published In:
- Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology nursing, 42(1-2), 37-43 (2025)
- Authors:
- Langevin, Mary, Herriage, Teresa, Hooke, Mary C
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06893
Evidence Hierarchy
Watches what happens naturally without intervening.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does medical cannabis help children with cancer?
In this small survey, most pediatric cancer patients or their parents reported cannabis helped with nausea, appetite, pain, and anxiety. Controlled studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Is medical cannabis safe for children with cancer?
Five of 24 patients reported mental changes as side effects. While most reported benefit, the small sample size means safety cannot be fully assessed from this study alone.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06893APA
Langevin, Mary; Herriage, Teresa; Hooke, Mary C. (2025). Pediatric Patient Experiences Using Medical Cannabis in Cancer Symptom Management as Reported by Parents of Children and Adolescents and by Young Adults.. Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology nursing, 42(1-2), 37-43. https://doi.org/10.1177/27527530251318606
MLA
Langevin, Mary, et al. "Pediatric Patient Experiences Using Medical Cannabis in Cancer Symptom Management as Reported by Parents of Children and Adolescents and by Young Adults.." Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology nursing, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1177/27527530251318606
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Pediatric Patient Experiences Using Medical Cannabis in Canc..." RTHC-06893. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/langevin-2025-pediatric-patient-experiences-using
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.