Lung cancer is still the second leading cancer in the United States. Despite advancements in treatment, mortality rates remain low, hovering roughly 15% five years after diagnosis. Without therapy, the typical survival time is roughly 7 months.
The findings published in BMJ Case Reports highlight the use of cannabidiol (‘CBD’) oil as a potential lung cancer treatment.
Endocannabinoids produced by the body are engaged in a variety of functions, including neuron function, emotion, energy metabolism, pain and inflammation, sleep, and immunological function.
Cannabinoids, which are chemically similar to endocannabinoids, can interact with signalling pathways in cells, including cancer cells. They’ve been examined as a primary cancer treatment, but the outcomes have been mixed.
In this new report, doctors highlighted the case of an 80-year-old woman, diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer.
She also had mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), osteoarthritis, and high blood pressure, for which she was being treated with a variety of medications.
She was a regular smoker, averaging a pack or more of cigarettes every week (68 packs per year).
Her tumor was 41 mm in size at the time of diagnosis, and there was no sign of local or further spread, so she was a candidate for standard treatment, which included surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
However, because the woman declined treatment, she was placed on ‘watch and wait’ status, which includes routine CT scans every 3-6 months.
According to the report’s authors, they showed that the tumour was gradually diminishing, shrinking from 41 mm in June 2018 to 10 mm by February 2021, a 76 percent reduction in maximum diameter, averaging 2.4 percent every month.
When contacted in 2019 to assess her health, the woman stated that she had been using CBD oil as an alternative self-treatment for her lung cancer since August 2018, shortly after receiving her initial diagnosis.
She had done so on the recommendation of a relative, after observing her partner battle with radiation side effects. She claimed she took 0.5 ml of the oil every day, generally three times a day, but sometimes twice.
The main active ingredients, according to the source, were Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) at 19.5 percent, cannabidiol at roughly 20 percent, and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) at around 24 percent.
The source also warned her to avoid eating or drinking anything hot while taking the oil because she might feel stoned. The woman stated that she had lost her appetite since taking the oil, but that she had no other obvious side affects. There were no other changes to her prescribed drugs, diet, or lifestyle. And she smoked the entire time.
The studies emphasized that this is simply one case report, with only one other similar case documented. It’s also unclear which CBD oil constituents may have been beneficial.
“We are unable to confirm the full ingredients of the CBD oil that the patient was taking or to provide information on which of the ingredient(s) may be contributing to the observed tumor regression,” they point out.
And they emphasize: “Although there appears to be a relationship between the intake of CBD oil and the observed tumor regression, we are unable to conclusively confirm that the tumor regression is due to the patient taking CBD oil.”
Cannabis has a long ‘medicinal’ history in modern medicine, first being introduced in 1842 for its analgesic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and anticonvulsant properties. Cannabinoids are also widely thought to treat patients with chronic pain, anxiety, and sleep disturbances; the authors note that cannabinoids are also used in palliative care.
More research is necessary to confirm the real mechanism of action, delivery methods, safe dosages, impact on various forms of cancer, and any potential negative side effects while consuming cannabinoids.
BMJ Case Reports. doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2021-244195.
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