Cancer is known to be the second leading cause of death in the world. The cause itself is not as hindering as the side effects and symptoms that come along. For decades there have been almost no surefire treatments that cure cancer with minimal side effects. CBD for Cancer? Or CBD for side effects of Cancer?
The rising use of CBD in medical fields showed promising options for many diseases and conditions. This brought researchers to test CBD for cancer. Considering how CBD is still undergoing legal reservations in many states, the studies and experiments have not been drastic or life-changing.
The most successful treatment to date is chemotherapy, but the resolve and persistence required to undergo this painful procedure are enough on their own. There have been researches and investigations to ease the chemotherapies.
CBD for Tumor and Cancerous Growth
The primary aim for researchers is to control cell proliferation on cancer sites meaning reducing tumor size and, in turn, addressing a lot of discomforts that tag along. This includes nausea, vomiting, fatigue, sleeplessness, pain, and diarrhea, etc.
Many successful studies have proven CBD a probable treatment option, but it is still in the early stages to make any solid claim about CBD as a cure for cancer. Listed below are a few studies:
- CBD exhibited pro-apoptotic and antiproliferative effects in a 2019 study that included cancerous pancreatic cells. Researchers concluded CBD as a prime mediator for CB1, CB2, and G-protein-coupled receptor 55. Although CBD has been an effective adjunct in pancreatic cancer, there are no clinical claims that prove CBD as a direct cure for cancer.
- Another study indicated that CBD increases cancer treatment drugs’ efficacy and initiates cell autophagy, necrosis, apoptosis, and natural cell death. It also makes glioblastoma cells prone to radiation with minimal side effects to healthy cells.
- Many in vivo and in vitro studies have found that cannabinoids can decrease tumor size and restrict cell growth without affecting healthy cells. Also, for breast cancer, one of the most common cancers, CBD decreases tumor cells’ metastatic properties.
CBD is still understudies for future research that includes CBD efficacy combined with other cannabinoids like THC and appropriate dosage and administration techniques. There is still room for determining the varying response of different cancers and how CBD can work and interact with other cancer treatment drugs and procedures.
CBD for Side Effects of Cancer
CBD has shown many advancements in easing insomnia, anxiety, depression, pain, and nausea irrespective of cancer or other diseases. CBD from the hemp plant with relatively lower THC levels than marijuana is used widely to treat side effects of cancer. Although the specificity of CBD to target such symptoms caused by cancer is still unknown, it can help patients ease the recovery.
Cannabinoids are also prescribed for chronic pain management. This can be helpful for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The role in controlling nausea also makes CBD a significant medication for cancer patients. However, the efficacy of CBD for cancer still has many randomized outcomes of clinical trials, so there is still hesitation in using it widely for cancer.
In combination with accepted levels of THC, CBD mediates chemical cascade reactions in our body that, instead of provoking a euphoric feeling, eases the mind and body. Our body’s endocannabinoid system also makes CBD a key mediator that helps regulate many mood-changing chemicals and pain stimulators.
What Are The Dangers And Side Effects Of Using CBD As A Cancer Treatment?
CBD as an analgesic has been widely used due to its lack of side effects. However, the same cannot be said for cancer patients. A phenomenon known as drug interaction leads to the counter activity of cancer drugs. The drugs may become toxic or less effective as a result.
Also, CBD may inhibit the enzyme synthesis of CYP2D6 and CYP3A4, responsible for drug metabolism. This can increase toxicity in the liver and adversely affect its function. CBD may work great for symptoms of cancer but not for cancer specifically. Nausea, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain are overlapping conditions of many diseases, but their interaction in the body significantly determines its effectiveness.
Another hurdle that researchers came across while proving CBD as a cure for cancer was cancer patients’ varying response. Mutations cause cancer, and our body’s immune system is always on patrol to identify and kill such mutated cells. Having developed cancer means the body is already immunocompromised. With the random nature of mutations, it is extremely risky and unpredictable how one’s body may react to treatment. Even with widely used treatments like chemotherapy and cancer drugs, the response is not always similar.
On top of that, CBD has still not been declared a medical or dietary supplement by the FDA. This is mostly because of the uncertainty and randomized outcomes of clinical studies. Speaking of clinical studies, CBD has only proved itself to that. There have been no human trials that show the efficacy of CBD to cure cancer. All of the researches have been in vitro, in vivo, or on lab mice.
Another concerning aspect is the purity of CBD. Researchers have faced many difficulties in maintaining the ratio of CBD to THC and avoiding contamination. Hemp is known to have low levels of THC. But that may not always be the case. Due to cross-pollination, prolonged flowering, or environmental factors, the hemp plant may have higher THC levels as well. If these levels are higher than recommended, it can lead to the psychoactive effects that cannabis usually has.
This cross-contamination can also take place during lab procedures like extraction, handling, or packaging. A common contaminant found in CBD oil is 5F-ADB that the US Drug Enforcement Administration has declared to be illegal.
In some cases, cancer patients have reported to developed infections after using CBD oil and other cannabis-made products. The chances of contamination in CBD products are high, and federal law’s legal implications on hemp and marijuana discourage its use.
With CBD for Cancer treatment or CBD for side effects of Cancer still proving its worth, it is recommended that no CBD products are used without proper doctor’s consultation. History of marijuana use, occupation, lifestyle, and health status all account for your body’s reaction to CBD.