“Background: Children with cancer are increasingly using cannabis therapeutically.
Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the perspectives and practices of pediatric oncologists and palliative care physicians regarding the use of cannabis for medical purposes among children with cancer.
Methods: A self-administered, voluntary, cross-sectional, deidentified online survey was sent to all pediatric oncologists and palliative care physicians in Canada between June and August 2020. Survey domains included education, knowledge, and concerns about cannabis, views on its effectiveness, and the importance of cannabis-related research. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: In total, 122/259 (47.1%) physicians completed the survey. Although 62.2% of the physicians completed some form of training about medical cannabis, nearly all (95.8%) desired to know more about the dosing, side effects, and safety of cannabis. Physicians identified a potential role of cannabis in the management of nausea and vomiting (85.7%), chronic pain (72.3%), cachexia/poor appetite (67.2%), and anxiety or depression (42.9%). Only four (0.3%) physicians recognized cannabis to be potentially useful as an anticancer agent. Nearly all physicians reported that cannabis-related research for symptom relief is essential (91.5%) in pediatric oncology, whereas 51.7% expressed that future studies are necessary to determine the anticancer effects of cannabis.
Conclusions: Our findings indicate that most pediatric oncologists and palliative care physicians recognize a potential role for cannabis in symptom control in children with cancer. Well-conducted studies are required to create evidence for cannabis use and promote shared decision making with pediatric oncology patients and their caregivers.”
“Several important implications from our findings include an urgent call for research and the development of clinical practice guidelines to support families and health care providers advising on the use of cannabis products in pediatric oncology. Funding agencies would be wise to provide direct funding opportunities for cannabis research in cancer, particularly among pediatric oncology populations where interest and use are rapidly outpacing the generation of rigorous evidence on dosing, efficacy, and safety.”
“Beta-Caryophyllene (BCP), a naturally occurring sesquiterpene abundantly found in cloves, hops, and cannabis, is the active candidate of a relatively new group of vascular-inhibiting compounds that aim to block existing tumor blood vessels.
“Conventional lung cancer treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy; however, these treatments are often poorly tolerated by patients. Cannabinoids have been studied for use as a primary cancer treatment. Cannabinoids, which are chemically similar to our own body’s endocannabinoids, can interact with signalling pathways to control the fate of cells, including cancer cells. We present a patient who declined conventional lung cancer treatment. Without the knowledge of her clinicians, she chose to self-administer ‘cannabidiol (CBD) oil’ orally 2-3 times daily. Serial imaging shows that her cancer reduced in size progressively from 41 mm to 10 mm over a period of 2.5 years. Previous studies have failed to agree on the usefulness of cannabinoids as a cancer treatment. This case appears to demonstrate a possible benefit of ‘CBD oil’ intake that may have resulted in the observed tumour regression. The use of cannabinoids as a potential cancer treatment justifies further research.”
“Aims: Characterizing cannabinoid receptors (CBRs) expressed in Ewing sarcoma (EWS) cell lines as potential targets for anti-cancer drug development.
“Cancer, as a mysterious and complex disease, has a multi-stage molecular process that uses the cellular molecular machine and multiple signaling pathways to its advantage. Cannabinoids, as terpenophenolic compounds and their derivatives, showed influences on immune system responses, inflammation, and cell growth that have sparked a growing interest in exploring their effects on cancer cell fate, as well. A large body of evidence in experimental models indicating the involvement of cannabinoids and their related receptors in cancer cell growth, development, and fate. In accordance, the present study provided insights regarding the strengths and limits of cannabinoids and their receptors in critical steps of tumorigenesis and its underlying molecular pathways such as; cancer cell proliferation, type of cell death pathway, angiogenesis, invasion, metastasis and, immune system response. Based on the results of the present study and due to the contribution of cannabinoids in various cancer cell growth control processes, these compounds cancer can be considered worthwhile in finding new alternatives for cancer therapy.”
“Cannabidiol (CBD), a primary bioactive phytocannabinoid extracted from hemp, is reported to possess potent anti-tumorigenic activity in multiple cancers.
“Cannabinoids, active components of the plant 