"Cannabis & Chemotherapy Side Effects"

When it comes to chemotherapy, medical cannabis is primarily used to treat the common side effects including nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and pain. 

Here’s what you need to know about how medical cannabis can support you or a loved one during chemo. 

The 2 majors cannabinoids THC & CBD have shown to effectively reduce the nausea and vomiting that often occurs during and after chemotherapy treatments.

For example, THC seems to cause the "high" reported by marijuana users, and also can help relieve pain and nausea, reduce inflammation, and can act as an antioxidant.

Cannabidiol (CBD) can help treat seizures, can reduce anxiety and paranoia, and can counteract the "high" caused by THC.

In this point, you will allow me to emphasize that the researches about cannabis & chemotherapy so far suggests that it is the synergy of all cannabinoids together that has the greatest results for patients but lets see what the experts say about it...

Studies on cannabis & Chemotherapy...

-The American Cancer Sosiety, an organization run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recognizes cannabis as an effective treatment for providing relief of a number of symptoms associated with cancer and chemotherapy treatments.

-A survey of 131 cancer patients participating in cannabis treatments for 6 to 8 weeks reported significant improvements in all of the measured symptoms, including apoptosis,nausea, vomiting, mood disorders, fatigue, weight loss, anorexia, constipation, sexual function, sleep disorders, itching, and pain. Patients treated with THC have also been shown to experience a higher quality of sleep and relaxation. 

-In one small open label trial with eight children with various blood cancers were administered Δ8-THC (18 mg/m2) 2 hours before the initiation of chemotherapy as well as every 6 hours for the next 24 hours showed that Δ8-THC successfully prevented vomiting and no delayed nausea or vomiting episodes were observed in the next two days following antineoplastic treatment. Δ8-THC could also be administered at doses considerably higher than the doses of Δ9-THC generally administered to adult patients, with a lack of major side effects.

Reference Δ8-THC could also be administered at doses considerably higher than the doses of Δ9-THC generally administered to adult patients, with a lack of major side effects.

-A review was performed using keywords related to cannabis and important symptoms of cancer and its treatments.Cannabis has the potential to modulate some of the most common and debilitating symptoms of cancer and its treatments, including nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, and pain and there is a reasonable amount of evidence to consider cannabis for nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, and pain as a supplement to first-line treatments. 

But lets take a look specific on chemotherapy side effects...

Stydies on cannabis & Side Effects of Chemotherapy...

 
Nausea and vomiting:

-Certain chemotherapy as well as radiation drugs cause patients to experience nausea and vomiting. Depending on the strength of the medicine, doctors classify them as low, moderate, or at high risk for causing nausea in patients. Nausea caused by chemotherapy may be acute, which means that it occurs within 24 hours, delayed, or anticipatory. Chemotherapy causes the body to release serotonin and other chemicals found in the small intestine, which stimulates the vomiting center in the brain leading to nausea and vomiting. 

-Several studies have found evidence that CBD has anti-nausea and anti-emetic effects that may make chemotherapy treatments more comfortable for patients. CBD suppresses nausea and vomiting likely through indirect activation of somatodendritic 5-HT1A receptors in the dorsal raphe nucleus, studies suggest.

-One research review concluded: “Preclinical research indicates that cannabinoids, including CBD, may be effective clinically for treating both nausea and vomiting produced by chemotherapy or other therapeutic treatments.”

Reduce Neuropathic Pain:

-It’s not uncommon for cancer patients to experience neuropathic pain as a side effect of both the condition and chemotherapy. This kind of pain is usually nerve pain, experienced in the extremities (called peripheral neuropathy), or paresthesia, which is tingling in extremities. Some of the most common chemotherapy drugs including Cisplatin, Paclitaxel, or Vincristine Sulfate has been known to cause this pain. Cannabis has been proven to be a natural antidote to different forms of pain, including peripheral neuropathy or paresthesia.

-One study found that CBD prevents the neuropathic pain and thermal sensitivity without negatively affecting nervous system function or the efficacy of the chemotherapy treatment. Earlier this year, investigators found evidence that cannabinoids may ease nerve pain. Researchers believe these pain-relieving effects of CBD are also associated with the compound’s influence on 5-HT1A receptors.

-In a clinical trial, cancer patients with intractable pain saw significant reductions in pain after just two weeks of treatments containing CBD and THC.

Depression:

Being diagnosed with cancer is enough to plunge patients into a severe state of depression, because of the sheer seriousness of this dreaded disease. Cannabis helps patients feel good no matter what the cause of their depression is, but it is truly effective in helping cancer patients improve their mood especially while undergoing chemotherapy.Depression has been associated with a dysfunction in the body’s endocannabinoid system, which is responsible for regulating mood. 

Studies have confirmed that CBD’s influence on the endocannabinoid system

and 5HT1A receptors elicits antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects.

 
Itching:

Some forms of cancer, chemotherapy treatments, and cancer medications can cause patients to have uncomfortable and uncontrollable itching in different parts of the body. Topically applied cannabis as well as ingested forms of the plant can help patients alleviate itching.

 
Insomnia:

Cancer patients also suffer from insomnia and other sleep problems. Although chemotherapy itself may not cause sleep problems, the drugs used can affect people differently. The stress posed by a cancer diagnosis can also cause anxiety and stress, leading to poor quality of sleep and insomnia. Lack of sleep slows down the healing process, but using cannabis can help treat  insomnia disorders.

 
 Control Appetite:

Chemotherapy patients tend to lose an unhealthy amount of weight, partially because of the nausea that it causes. Some chemotherapy drugs also cause people to lose their appetite. When cancer patients don’t have the appetite to consume heathy and nutritious food, this can slow down the healing process. Certain cannabis strains are beneficial for patients who suffer from lack of appetite.

CBD’s influence on the body’s endocannabinoid system may also help manage appetite. The endocannabinoid system is responsible for balancing many of our systems, including the regulation of food intake. Cannabinoids like CBD interact with the endocannabinoid system’s receptors to potentially help it better regulate appetite and eating motivation.

Constipation:

Some chemotherapy drugs, combined with a lack of appetite and nausea, may cause patients to suffer from gastrointestinal problems and bowel disorders such as constipation. Cannabis has been prescribed to help patients deal with gastrointestinal problems and it has shown to be effective especially because of the presence of endocannabinoid receptors in the stomach.

Finally Thoughts:

As we see there are several benefits to using medical cannabis during chemotherapy το to relieve the side effects. Whatever method you use to take medical cannabis, dont forget that the best is to talk to your oncologist.

Some cancers require more monitoring with cannabis use.For example, THC might affect estrogen levels.Because of this, doctors pay more attention to the estrogen levels of patients who have hormone-producing cancers (such as ovarian, breast, prostrate, and testicular) and use cannabis.

I hope this article to be able to help you to get the best choice for you!