A review examines cannabinoids alongside cryotherapy and scalp cooling as strategies to improve quality of life during chemotherapy by managing nausea, neuropathy, and hair loss.
Oncologists, chemotherapy patients, oncology nurses, and supportive care researchers.
QOL improvementCannabinoids, cryotherapy, and scalp cooling each address different chemotherapy side effects to improve patient quality of life
What the researchers found
Cannabinoids, cryotherapy, and scalp cooling each address different chemotherapy side effects (nausea/vomiting, neuropathy, and alopecia respectively), and their combined use represents a multifaceted approach to improving QOL during cancer treatment.
Why it matters
Chemotherapy side effects significantly impact patient quality of life and treatment adherence. Non-pharmacological and cannabinoid-based supportive care options can complement standard antiemetic and supportive protocols.
The numbers in context
Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, and chemotherapy-induced alopecia are among the most distressing side effects affecting quality of life.
How the study worked
Review article examining evidence for cannabinoids, cryotherapy, and scalp cooling as supportive care during chemotherapy.
Who was studied
Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy experiencing nausea, neuropathy, and/or alopecia.
What this study cannot tell us
Different levels of evidence across the three interventions; cannabinoid evidence is more established for nausea than other applications; review scope is broad.
How to read the evidence
Review of mixed evidence; cannabinoid antiemetic evidence is relatively strong while other applications have less data.
When this study was published
Recent review capturing current supportive oncology care options.
The bigger picture
Supportive care during chemotherapy is increasingly recognized as essential for treatment outcomes, with cannabinoids being one of several evidence-based options for managing treatment-related suffering.
Replication
Cannabinoid antiemetic evidence is well-established; combined supportive care review provides practical clinical framework.
Funding
Not specified
Conflicts of interest
Not specified
Questions still open
- Which cannabinoid formulations work best for CINV?
- Can these interventions be used together safely?
- Do oncologists routinely offer these supportive care options?
Read the original research
Improving Quality of Life During Chemotherapy: Cannabinoids, Cryotherapy, and Scalp Cooling.
American Society of Clinical Oncology educational book. American Society of Clinical Oncology. Annual Meeting, 43, e390428
Citation
Michel, Alissa; Lee, Richard T; Salehi, Elahe; Accordino, Melissa K. (2023). Improving Quality of Life During Chemotherapy: Cannabinoids, Cryotherapy, and Scalp Cooling.. American Society of Clinical Oncology educational book. American Society of Clinical Oncology. Annual Meeting, 43, e390428. https://doi.org/10.1200/EDBK_390428