A scoping review of 163 studies found cancer patients use medical cannabis for two main reasons: managing cancer impacts and staying connected to others, with nausea, pain, and appetite as the top three approved indications.
Oncologists, cancer patients considering medical cannabis, and healthcare providers in palliative care.
Two main reasons: managing cancer impacts and staying connected to others
What the researchers found
Two main reasons for medical cannabis use in cancer: limiting cancer impacts and side effects, and staying connected to others. Three approved indications: refractory nausea/vomiting, pain management, and appetite/food intake improvement. Eleven routes of administration identified, with oils and oral solutions most common.
Why it matters
Understanding why and how cancer patients use medical cannabis helps clinicians have more informed conversations and identify gaps in supportive care that patients are trying to fill.
The numbers in context
5,283 publications identified, 163 met criteria. 11 routes of administration. Oils and oral solutions most frequent. Three approved indications identified.
How the study worked
Scoping review following Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. Searched five databases and two grey literature sources. Included French/English primary studies and knowledge syntheses from 2000-2021. 5,283 publications identified, 163 met eligibility criteria. Data extracted by two independent reviewers.
What this study cannot tell us
Scoping review maps evidence breadth rather than evaluating effectiveness. Heterogeneous study designs and populations. Most evidence from observational and qualitative studies.
How to read the evidence
Moderate: comprehensive scoping review with rigorous methodology, but maps evidence breadth rather than quality.
When this study was published
Published in 2022.
The bigger picture
The finding that staying connected to others is a key reason for cannabis use highlights that patients use it not just for physical symptoms but also for the social and psychological aspects of living with cancer.
Questions still open
- Should oncology guidelines formally address medical cannabis for supportive care? Which route of administration is most effective for each indication? How can healthcare providers better support patients' information needs?
Common questions
What are the approved indications for cannabis in cancer?
How do cancer patients take medical cannabis?
What does "staying connected to others" mean?
Read the original research
Routes of administration, reasons for use, and approved indications of medical cannabis in oncology: a scoping review.
BMC cancer, 22(1), 319
Citation
Vinette, Billy; Côté, José; El-Akhras, Ali; Mrad, Hazar; Chicoine, Gabrielle; Bilodeau, Karine. (2022). Routes of administration, reasons for use, and approved indications of medical cannabis in oncology: a scoping review.. BMC cancer, 22(1), 319. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-022-09378-7
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