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Longitudinal Study: Endometriosis Patients Experience Improvements Following Medical Cannabis Therapy
London, United Kingdom: Endometriosis patients report health-related quality of life improvements following the use of medical cannabis preparations, according to observational data published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.
British investigators assessed the use of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) in a cohort of 63 endometriosis patients enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. (British health care providers may prescribe cannabis-based medicinal products to patients unresponsive to conventional medications.) Patients’ outcomes were assessed at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months. Study participants consumed either herbal cannabis or oil extracts containing a nearly equal ratio of THC and CBD.
Patients acknowledged improvements in their chronic pain and other health-related quality of life measures following cannabis therapy.
“These results provide a signal towards improvement in short-term pain severity and interference for endometriosis patients after the initiation of CMBP treatment,” the study’s authors concluded. “This study provides valuable real-world data and complements the development of RCTs [randomized clinical trials] to further examine the efficacy and safety of CBMPs for endometriosis-associated chronic pain.”
Survey data reports that nearly one in five endometriosis patients consume cannabis to manage their symptoms.
Other observational studies assessing the use of cannabis products among those enrolled in the UK Medical Cannabis Registry have reported them to be beneficial for patients diagnosed with treatment-resistant epilepsy, cancer-related pain, anxiety, fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel disease, hypermobility disorders, depression, migraine, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, substance use disorders, insomnia, and inflammatory arthritis, among other conditions.
Full text of the study, “A longitudinal assessment of endometriosis patients prescribed cannabis-based medicinal products: A case series from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry,” appears in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Case Reports: Cannabis Oil Associated With Tumor Regression in Patients With Advanced Liver Cancer
Groningen, Netherlands: A pair of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) experienced spontaneous tumor regression following the daily use of cannabis extracts, according to data published in the Journal of Cannabis Research.
Dutch investigators documented “complete” tumor regression in a pair of patients with advanced HCC. Both patients consumed THC-dominant cannabis oils daily. Neither patient engaged in any significant lifestyle, dietary, or other supportive interventions aside from the use of cannabis extracts.
Spontaneous regression of HCC typically occurs in fewer than one-half of one percent of all cases.
The study’s authors concluded: “In this report, we present two patients (ages 82 and 77) with advanced HCC with a high tumor burden who demonstrated durable and complete regression after use of cannabis oil. … The observations in this report build on previous (pre)clinical research highlighting the potential anti-tumor qualities of cannabinoids and stress the need for clinical trials investigating the anti-tumor effects of cannabinoids in cancer patients.”
Cannabinoids have demonstrated well-established anti-cancer activities in preclinical models, but their efficacy as an anti-cancer agent has rarely been assessed in clinical trials.
Full text of the study, “Durable complete response of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma using cannabis oil: A report of two cases,” appears in the Journal of Cannabis Research.
Study: Cannabis Use History Not Linked To Elevated Risk of Prostate Cancer
Miami, FL: Men over 50 with a history of cannabis use are no more likely to experience prostate cancer than are non-users, according to data published in the journal Nature: Scientific Reports.
Investigators affiliated with the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine assessed the relationship between the lifetime use of cannabis and psychedelic drugs with prostate cancer diagnoses among a representative sample of older adults.
Researchers identified a slight correlation between psychedelic drug use and prostate cancer, but they reported no similar elevated risk among those who consumed cannabis. “No significant associations were found for cannabis-only use versus non-use,” they acknowledged.
“With the growing acceptance and accessibility of cannabis and psychedelics for both medical and recreational purposes, understanding their potential long-term health implications is essential, particularly for older adults who are at higher risk of prostate cancer diagnosis,” the study’s authors concluded. “[O]ur cross-sectional findings … may inform clinicians to consider discussing substance use histories, including cannabis and psychedelic use, during routine health assessments and cancer risk evaluations in aging male patients.”
Full text of the study, “Association between lifetime co-use of classic psychedelics and cannabis and prostate cancer diagnosis among US adults 50 years and older,” appears in Nature: Scientific Reports.
Analysis: Cannabis Use Not Associated With Heart Abnormalities in HIV Patients
Miami, FL: HIV patients with a history of cannabis use are not at an increased risk for myocardial infarction or other adverse cardiovascular events, according to ECG (electrocardiogram) findings published in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
Investigators affiliated with the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine and the University of California at San Francisco assessed ECG results in 3,610 HIV patients with and without a history of cannabis use.
Researchers reported that cannabis use was not independently associated with ECG abnormalities, including evidence of myocardial infarction (heart attack). They concluded, “We sought to evaluate the association of cannabis use and ECG abnormalities. … Evidence of ECG abnormalities did not vary significantly by cannabis use status alone in the overall cohort, nor by sex, when controlling for covariates.”
Although individual studies assessing cannabis use and cardiovascular health have yielded inconsistent results, a literature review of 67 papers published in The American Journal of Medicine concluded, “[M]arijuana itself does not appear to be independently associated with excessive cardiovascular risk factors.” More recently, an analysis of over 720,000 adults published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (AJPM) Focus concluded that current cannabis consumers do not possess a greater risk of heart attack as compared to non-users.
Full text of the study, “The association between cannabis use and electrocardiographic abnormalities in people living with HIV,” appears in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
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