Cbd Oil And Breast Cancer
If youâre being treated for breast cancer, youâve probably had some side effects like pain, fatigue, nausea, discomfort, and anxiety. Maybe youâve heard other people with the disease talk about using CBD products to ease these symptoms — or youâve run across CBD at your local gas station or drug store. But what exactly is CBD? How does it work? And can it really help people who have breast cancer?
Does Cannabis Oil Cure Cancer
Does cannabis kill cancer cells? There are various claims that CBD can help cure cancer.
However, medical professionals cannot give a certain answer due to the lack of studies that support it.
But, there are a lot of promising researchers that show CBD can potentially help cancer patients.
In the documentary Bud Buddies, Manuel Guzman, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Madrid, studies CBD with major focus on identifying the mechanisms by which cannabinoids the active components of cannabis act in our bodies and more precisely trying to find potential therapeutic applications of cannabinoids in the fields of oncology and neuron regeneration.
According to him, usually compounds or drugs induce aptosis for non-selective between tumor and non-tumor cells. However, they were taken aback because they discovered a compound that can kill tumor cells without affecting the viability of non-tumor cells. He stressed that cannabis can protect non-tumor cells.
A number of individuals have joined Guzmans study and after a decade of study, he can say that they have a relatively good knowledge of how cannabinoids act in mice and rats that have different types of rumors but unfortunately they know very little about how cannabinoids may affect tumor growth in humans with cancer. Guzman said that it remains a question if these compounds are effective in treating patients with cancer.
How Cbd Is Used
Weiss notes that there are all kinds of CBD products beyond oil, such as edibles, capsules, tinctures, creams and oils for skin, and sprays that you can use under your tongue.
Mathias Schmucki still takes CBD oil orally. She also uses a topical CBD oil for the skin on her radiation-treated side to help with the dryness and discomfort, plus a CBD extract in a coconut-oil-based suspension as a personal lubricant for intercourse. âA lot of women with breast cancer experience sexual side effects because one of the mainstays of treatment is anti-estrogen,â she explains.
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Is Cannabis Oil Illegal
According to the NHS website: Many cannabis-based products are available to buy online, but their quality and content is not known. They may be illegal and potentially dangerous.
Some cannabis-based products, such as hemp oil, can be bought legally as supplements from health food stores. However, theres no guarantee that these products have any health benefits.
As the NHS website states: Health stores sell certain types of pure CBD. However, there’s no guarantee these products will be of good quality. And they tend to only contain very small amounts of CBD, so it’s not clear what effect they would have.
A very small number of people may get medical cannabis on prescription, for example if they have a severe form of epilepsy, or vomiting or nausea caused by chemotherapy. However, this likely to be the case only if other treatments have been tried first.
Cannabis Oil For Cancer
It is difficult to determine if cannabis oil is beneficial for cancer or its symptoms because studies are mixed and difficult to find. We know that pain and anxiety are part of the cancer picture and CBD may help alleviate these symptoms. We also know that CBD may reduce nausea and vomiting, which may help with the anorexia seen in cancer patients. Topical CBD oil has been shown to reduce neuropathy pain, a common side-effect of cancer treatment. Oral CBD is beneficial for insomnia, and sleep disorders are common in cancer patients. Depression, a common mood malady of cancer-related to the diagnosis, the symptoms, and even the therapy may be treated with the use of CBD oil. CBD may affect mood and pain via the endocannabinoid system .
The Food and Drug Administration has not approved the use of CBD for oral use, which has hindered the studies on this cannabinoid. Although CBD is legal to sell, it is not legal to orally ingest it without going through a drug approval process, at least at this time. FDA is guilty of being tardy in their CBD recommendations saying that more research is needed.
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How Medical Cannabis Oil Helps Breast Cancer Elimination
The human body has a natural system called an endocannabinoid, which refers to the complex receptor network on cells to regulate the body functions such as mood, sleep, and inflammation daily. Now, cannabis oil CBD or marijuana works by simply making use of interaction with the endocannabinoid system. This means that it helps to reduce breast cancer treatment side effects such as nausea, anxiety, vomiting, pain, and insomnia.
However, there is not yet found any profound studies to testify the cannabis oil CBDs capacity to treat breast cancer. Doctors and researchers are making their thorough distinctions between alternative and complementary medicine with their clinical studies.
For treating metastatic breast cancer that can affect other body organs, looking at cannabis oil CBD as complementary medicine is a must rather than to use it as an addition or alternative to the traditional treatment of many people with cancer or other health concerns.
How Does Medical Cannabis Help Quality Of Life For Symptoms Of Convential Treatments
A survey released in 2020 comprised of 612 patients aged 18 and over who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last five years said that medical cannabis was very effective for symptom management during conventional treatments like chemotherapy, targeted therapy, hormonal therapy, and radiation. 42 percent of participants had used medical cannabis products to relieve symptoms, including insomnia , pain , anxiety , stress , and nausea/vomiting , and additionally, cannabis was used prior to treatment in 24 percent, during treatment in 79 percent, and after treatment in 54 percent. Of subjects reporting cannabis use during treatment: 86 percent used it during chemotherapy, 71 percent during HER2 therapy, 65 percent during hormonal therapy, 49 percent during breast radiation, and 47 percent during radiation for metastatic site
Actress and singer Olivia Newton-John is perhaps one of the most famous advocates for medical cannabis and has been using the plant to treat her third cancer diagnosis, allowing her to come off morphine and opioids. The Grease and four-time Grammy Award-winning actress first discovered breast cancer in 1992. After a car accident in 2013, doctors found that cancer had returned and had spread to her shoulder. In 2017 she discovered that it had spread to the base of her spine.
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Cbd Oil May Help Slow Or Stop The Spread Of Cancer
A California woman received a grim diagnosis of an aggressive form of breast cancer called HER2-positive, already in late stages and metastasized to her lungs. She was told she only had 18 months to two years to live. She used three different homemade herbal remedies containing high amounts of CBD. She made the concentrate out of marijuana plants using low enough temperatures to retain the medical benefits of the CBD, while minimizing the psychoactive effects of the THC. The end results were a salve applied topically to her breast, a tincture she drank as a tea in the morning, and a high-potency oil kept in a syringe for measurement purposes, administered through a suppository. The latter allowed the medicine to be absorbed more efficiently. Within five weeks of treatment, a scan showed her lymph nodes were clear and the tumors were basically gone. Her homemade CBD treatment resulted in halting the spread of an especially aggressive form of breast cancer. Although this story is anecdotal, it speaks to the potential of CBD for treating breast cancer.
Cbd Oil Cancer Research
In cancer patients, cannabinoids have been administered primarily as palliative care. CBD for cancer treatment has few to no studies to refer to in humans. Much of the research into cancer and cannabinoids have included animals. Research on animals shows positive benefits for cannabinoid therapy, and research into CBD for cancer is expanding. The best CBD oils have yet to be identified for cancer patients, but research hints at the full-spectrum CBD oils.
Research has shown that cannabinoids may stop the malignant cells from dividing and may interfere with their blood supply. Studies also show that cannabinoids may stimulate the immune system to attack tumors and destroy them. Taking CBD may potentially control the resistance cancer develops towards chemotherapy. The effects of it on cancer are encouraging enough to continue researching the use of CBD products in cancer treatment.
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Side Effects And Risks Of Cannabis Cbd On Breast Cancer
According to the researchers, patients, and people who used to treat the cancer cells with cannabis CBD oil are likely to experience the following side effects of cannabinoids or cannabidiol. The effects may depend on the high amounts of CBD cannabinoid being taken:
Dry mouth
Fatigue and drowsiness
Diarrhea
Since there are still not, enough studies conducted that may assess the potential risks and effects of cannabinoids cannabis CBD oil to the people, it is still accepted and well-tolerated. However, there are certain cautions or effects that a cancer patient must consider all the time.
Big Pharma Cant Patent It So Theyre Not Interested
Some people argue that the potential of cannabinoids is being ignored by pharmaceutical companies, because they cant patent the chemicals naturally occurring in cannabis plants. But there are many ways that these compounds can be patented for example, by developing more effective lab-made versions or better ways to deliver them.
Other people argue that patients should be treated with street or homegrown cannabis preparations, and that the research being done by companies is solely to make money and prevent patients accessing the cure.
But the best chance of ensuring that the potential benefits of cannabinoids whether natural or man-made can be brought to patients is through research using quality-controlled, safe, legal, pharmaceutical grade preparations containing known amounts of the drugs.
This requires time, effort and money, which may come from companies or independent organisations such as charities or governments. And, ultimately, this investment needs to be paid back by sales of a safe, effective new drug.
Its true that there are issues around drug pricing and availability and were pushing for companies to make new treatments available at a fair price. We would hope that if cannabinoids were to be shown to be safe and effective enough to make it to the clinic, they would be made available at a fair price for all patients who might benefit from them.
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Can Cannabinoids Treat Cancer
Many hundreds of scientific papers looking at cannabinoids and cancer have been published so far, but these studies simply havent found enough robust scientific evidence to prove that these can safely and effectively treat cancer.
Research is still ongoing though, with hundreds of scientists investigating the potential of cannabinoids in cancer and other diseases as part of The International Cannabinoid Research Society. And in 2015 the scientific journal Nature published a supplement of review articles about various aspects of cannabis. Its free to access.
Much of the research into cannabinoids and cancer so far has been done in the lab
Claims that there is solid proof that cannabis or cannabinoids can cure cancer is highly misleading.
This is because virtually all the scientific research investigating whether cannabinoids can treat cancer has been done using cancer cells grown in the lab or animals. While these studies are a vital part of research, providing early indications of the benefits of particular treatments, they dont necessarily hold true for people.
So far, the best results from lab studies have come from using a combination of highly purified THC and cannabidiol , a cannabinoid found in cannabis plants that counteracts the psychoactive effects of THC. But researchers have also found positive results using man-made cannabinoids, such as a molecule called JWH-133.
How To Buy Cbd
What should you look for if you decide to give CBD products a try?
- Medical-grade CBD products. âJust because CBD products made from hemp are now widely available, you shouldnât assume theyâre safe, effective, or even legal where you live, since some state laws still consider hemp CBD illegal,â Weiss says. She recommends looking for medical-grade CBD products because theyâre âprobably a safer option.â
- Certificate of analysis. Weiss recommends asking for a certificate of analysis from the company or dispensary you use. A COA comes from a third-party laboratory and tells you the quantity of cannabinoids in the product so that you know exactly what youâre getting. Some COAs also show the levels of potential toxins like pesticides, arsenic, and heavy metals.
For Mathias Schmucki, finding a company that provided a COA with all this information was a must. She says there are several online companies that send it with every product. âThe companies with the best reputations will often have very robust websites with educational resources,â she says, so look for these.
Mathias Schmucki says other options, like how the CBD is extracted or what the best delivery method is, are a matter of personal choice.
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Cbd Oil As A Treatment For Cancer Side Effects
Perhaps one of the most challenging stages of patient care required for individuals with cancer is dealing with the numerous side effects of the cancer disease itself and subsequent treatments. Cancer treatment options are vast, but they can include hormone therapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. These treatments are highly taxing on the body and often result in a myriad of side effects, including insomnia, nausea, decreased appetite, and chronic pain.
Sarah Harding Reveals She’s Taking Cannabis Oil To Ease Her Pain Amid Her Battle With Breast Cancer
- The Girls Aloud star, 39, said she decided to try the treatment after it was recommended to her by pal Duncan James
- CBD oil is a legal cannabinoid that can be sold in the UK, and is thought to have some medicinal properties, including relieving inflammation, pain and anxiety
- In August 2020, Sarah revealed her cancer diagnosis and told fans she’d been battling the disease for several months with weekly chemotherapy sessions
- She recently revealed in an extract from her new book that tumours in her brain and lung have shrunk with treatment
- If you have been affected by this story, call Macmillan Cancer Support on 0808 808 00 00
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Eases Anxiety And Sleep Problems
Cancer patients also tend to have a hard time sleeping and experience mood swings. According to doctors, 2 out of 10 cancer patients suffer from anxiety and depression.
The fatigue caused by chemotherapy will change the patients cognitive mood to go down and experience changes in their behavior.
There is research supporting the claims that CBD can help cancer patients enjoy a relaxing sleep. Usually, it is the fatigue and pain caused by chemotherapy that prevents patients from sleeping.
Research Into Cannabinoids And Cancer
We need more research to know if cannabis or the chemicals in it can treat cancer.
Clinical trials need to be done in large numbers where some patients have the drug and some dont. Then you can compare how well the treatment works.
Many of the studies done so far have been small and in the laboratory. There have been a few studies involving people with cancer.
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Does Smoking Weed Cause Cancer
The evidence is a lot less clear when it comes to whether cannabis can cause cancer. This is because most people who use cannabis smoke it mixed with tobacco, a substance that we know causes cancer. In the UK, more than three quarters of people who smoke weed reported normally mixing it with tobacco.
This makes it hard to disentangle the potential impact of cannabis on cancer risk from the impact of the tobacco. As of 2021, we cant be sure whether the increased risk is due to tobacco or whether cannabis also has an independent effect.
We do know from decades of evidence that there is no safe way to use tobacco its addictive and harmful for your health. People who smoke weed mixed with tobacco increase their risk of cancer and other conditions. Tobacco also contains the very addictive substance nicotine. This means people who regularly smoke weed mixed with tobacco may find it harder to stop.
> Read about the free support and quitting tools available to help you to stop smoking for good on our website.
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The majority of the participants, 70 percent, believed that cannabis should be viewed as a plant-based medicine, that natural products are better than chemicals and that the benefits of cannabis outweighed the risks. Moreover, 49 percent of the cannabis users said they believed that medical cannabis could be used to treat the cancer itself.
While acknowledging that cannabis can bring relief to breast cancer patients, Weiss is concerned that patients arent consulting with their doctors.
Some of these products can interact with treatments they are taking, and there is a safety issue there, she said. We want to make sure they get relief from their symptoms without interfering with the treatments.
One concern, Weiss said, is that the liver is involved in the metabolism of many of the treatments as well as of cannabis. We dont want to overtax the liver, she said.
Its also not currently known how cannabis interacts with treatments, she added.
The new study is very interesting, said Dr. Stephanie Bernik, chief of breast surgery at Mount Sinai West in New York. Our patients have been using marijuana for cancer for years and years, she added. So we knew it helps with symptoms.
The new report shows that not a lot of patients are talking to their doctors about this, Bernik said. And that means that the doctors cant take cannabis into account when they are deciding dosages of cancer drugs, she added.
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