In the last decade, a wave of scientific discovery has swept across the globe, with medical cannabis demonstrating its immense medical potential as an alternative therapy, and even the Mayo Clinic, which is the world's leading medical clinic, is now offering cannabis as one of its medicinal prescriptions.

Mayo Clinic, also known as Mayo Medical Group, is a world-renowned private, not-for-profit healthcare institution, the largest and most advanced comprehensive healthcare system in the United States, and one of the world's most influential and representative of the world's highest level of medical care, with a frontrunner position in the field of medical research.

At the Mayo Clinic, medical staff can provide residents with proof of a prescription if they suffer from a condition that qualifies for the Minnesota Medical Marijuana Program, and if the patient in question continues to use medical marijuana during the visit or hospital stay if he or she has already obtained it through. The allopathic diseases for which medical marijuana prescriptions can be obtained, depending on the state's regulatory situation, are:

Alzheimer's disease

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

HIV/AIDS

Crohn's disease

Epilepsy and seizures

Glaucoma

Multiple sclerosis and myasthenia gravis

Severe and chronic pain

Severe nausea or vomiting from cancer treatment

One of the most complex and brutal diseases is cancer, and with the rise of alternative treatment modalities, cannabis therapies have emerged as a formidable competitor in the field of cancer medicine.

Cannabis contains a number of compounds known as cannabinoids, the two most familiar of which are Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). These cannabinoids interact with the body's endocannabinoid system to regulate various physiological processes.

While research on the potential efficacy of cannabis in cancer is still in its infancy, preclinical and clinical studies have yielded promising results.


New Study Finds Most Cancer Survivors Who Use Cannabis Report "Great Improvement in Symptoms"

A new study of cancer survivors found that nearly half currently use or have used marijuana in the past, and most of those who used marijuana after their diagnosis said they did so to manage symptoms such as sleep disorders and pain. About one in five cancer survivors reported "current use of cannabis for symptom relief during active cancer treatment."

The study, published in February in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship, said the proportion of cancer survivors who smoked marijuana was "highly significant, with the majority reporting substantial improvement in symptoms for specific reasons."

Of all participants, 17.4 per cent were current cannabis users, 30.5 per cent were former users and 52.2 per cent indicated that they had never used cannabis. Of the 510 respondents (27 per cent) who used cannabis after a cancer diagnosis, 60 per cent reported using cannabis to manage sleep disorders, followed by pain (51 per cent), stress (44 per cent), nausea (33 per cent) and mood disorders or depression (32 per cent).

"Cannabis use among cancer survivors is noteworthy, with the vast majority of survivors reporting significant improvement in symptoms." "In addition, approximately one in five (91/510) cancer survivors use cannabis to treat their cancer."

The majority of patients reported that cannabis use was effective in treating their symptoms. For example, of those who used it to treat nausea and vomiting, 73.6 per cent said it was "mostly" effective, while 24.4 per cent said it was "somewhat" effective. Only 1.9 per cent said it was "very little" and almost none said it was "not at all" effective. Don't underestimate the reduction of nausea and vomiting, only cancer patients understand what this means.

Similar results were found for depression, appetite, pain, sleep, stress and general disease management. In each case, more than half of the respondents reported that cannabis helped "to a great extent", while between half and a quarter reported that it was "somewhat" effective. A small proportion (up to about 5 per cent) reported "little" or no benefit.

When it came to cancer treatment itself, 47.7 per cent said cannabis was effective "to a great extent", 34.5 per cent said it was "somewhat" helpful, and 13.8 per cent said it provided "little" benefit. 13.8 per cent said it provided "little" benefit and only 4 per cent said it was "not at all" helpful. The study encourages medical recommendations to include a discussion of medical cannabis in a broader therapeutic context.

The research team from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre said, "With the majority of survivors reporting benefits of cannabis use in cancer treatment, more research is needed to strengthen the existing evidence base for cannabis therapies. In addition, clear cannabis policies, guidelines, and educational programmes for healthcare providers and survivors are needed to address the use, benefits, and risks of cannabis in cancer care."

"Healthcare providers should engage survivors in discussions about using cannabis during cancer treatment," she added, "to help them make informed decisions about their health."

The study is part of a trend of research exploring how cannabis is currently being used and how it could be used in the future to manage cancer-related symptoms.

In March 2023, for example, the University of Buffalo announced that one of its psychiatrists had received a million-dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Cancer Institute to fund a one-year study of how cannabis use works for cancer patients in immunotherapy.

As these new studies were published, in August 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommended that the DEA reclassify marijuana, apparently to Schedule III.


About those clinical results of cannabis for cancer.

Pain Management

Cancer pain is an extremely distressing symptom that is prevalent among cancer patients, severely affecting their quality of life and impacting their mood. A 2022 study on the pharmacological management of cancer-related pain showed that nearly 80 per cent of people with advanced cancer had moderate to severe pain, caused by cancer treatments (e.g., surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy).

Despite advances in pain management, many patients remain undertreated. Traditionally, opioids have been the primary method, but their limitations and side effects have led to the exploration of other options, such as cannabis and cannabinoids.

A clinical study conducted in 2022 suggests that the use of cannabinoids to treat cancer pain is promising. It shows how cancer treatment using CBD (cannabidiol) can be a viable option for patients. Of course, further clinical trials are needed to determine its effectiveness and to determine the appropriate dosage of CBD for cancer.


Nausea and vomiting

According to the 2022 National Academy of Sciences release, Cannabis and Cannabinoids and Cannabis-Based Medicines in Cancer Therapy.

Strong clinical evidence supports the use of oral cannabinoids as effective in relieving chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in adults.

Several comprehensive analyses were conducted on studies of drugs containing delta9-THC, such as dronabinol and cannabilone. These analyses showed that cannabinoids were more effective than placebo and comparable to the standard antiemetic drugs available at the time.

The 2015 Cochrane review, which included 23 randomised controlled trials, also suggested that cannabis-based medicines may be beneficial in treating chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, for which other conventional treatments have very limited efficacy.


stimulate the appetite

Loss of appetite (known as anorexia nervosa) is a common and distressing symptom in cancer patients, with limited treatment options available today. However, research data suggests that medicinal cannabis may help alleviate appetite-related symptoms in cancer patients.

2022 A systematic review of five studies compared the effectiveness of medicinal cannabis interventions, such as dronabinol and cannabis extracts, relative to placebo or megestrol acetate. Dronabinol significantly improved appetite perception and secondary outcomes, including food flavour, pre-meal appetite and the proportion of calories consumed as protein.

Overall, cannabis use was well tolerated regardless of the agent or dose used. Although cannabis is not considered a primary treatment for cancer, it can play a role in symptom management and complement traditional cancer therapies. In addition, cannabis has shown promise in stimulating appetite and improving sleep quality in cancer patients.


Promotes sleep

Anxiety and depression are also common psychological symptoms in cancer patients. Cannabis has anxiolytic (to combat anxiety) and antidepressant properties. Certain cannabinoids such as CBD, CBN have shown promise in reducing anxiety levels, improving mood and promoting sleep by interacting with neurotransmitter systems in the brain that regulate mood.

Recent evidence also suggests that cannabinoids (the active ingredients in cannabis and its derivatives) may have direct anti-cancer effects. By inhibiting tumour growth and inducing cancer cell death, cannabinoids may help to slow or halt the progression of certain types of cancer, and more research is still needed to understand the specific mechanisms and to identify the types of cancers that may benefit most from cannabis treatment.


Palliative Care

Palliative care aims to relieve the symptoms and stress associated with serious illnesses such as cancer in order to improve the overall quality of life for terminally ill patients.


Drug interactions

Cannabis may interact with some medications commonly used to treat cancer. It is important to consult a professional to understand potential interactions and to ensure safe and effective use of cannabis and conventional medications.