Category Archives: Prostate Cancer

Bay Area Researchers Claim Cannabis Can Cure Cancer

Posted on by
Reply

“Marijuana has been used for medicinal purposes–relieving stress and pain and fighting hunger and nausea–for centuries if not millennia. But now, a pair of doctors in San Francisco claim that they’ve compiled reliable data showing that a certain compound in cannabis–cannabidiol–may actually cure cancer.”

Bay Area Researchers Claim Cannabis Can Cure Cancer

“Unlike THC, the ingredient in marijuana that makes you feel stoned, cannabidiol is a non-toxic compound of the plant that has no psychoactive qualities, and it’s been the focus of an ongoing series of trials at the San Francisco-based California Pacific Medical Center. There, physicians Sean McAllister and Pierre Desprez claim they’ve successfully used cannabidiol to fight animal genes involved in the spread of cancer. Now they hope to be allowed to conduct anti-cancer research using cannabidiol on actual humans.”

Cannabinoid receptor systems: therapeutic targets for tumour intervention.

Posted on by
Reply

Image result for taylor & francis online

“The past decade has witnessed a rapid expansion of our understanding of the biological roles of cannabinoids and their cognate receptors. It is now certain that Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the principle psychoactive component of the Cannabis sativa plant, binds and activates membrane receptors of the 7-transmembrane domain, G-protein-coupled superfamily.

Several putative endocannabinoids have since been identified, including anandamide, 2-arachidonyl glycerol and noladin ether. Synthesis of numerous cannabinomimetics has also greatly expanded the repertoire of cannabinoid receptor ligands with the pharmacodynamic properties of agonists, antagonists and inverse agonists.

Collectively, these ligands have proven to be powerful tools both for the molecular characterisation of cannabinoid receptors and the delineation of their intrinsic signalling pathways. Much of our understanding of the signalling mechanisms activated by cannabinoids is derived from studies of receptors expressed by tumour cells; hence, this review provides a succinct summary of the molecular pharmacology of cannabinoid receptors and their roles in tumour cell biology.

Moreover, there is now a genuine expectation that the manipulation of cannabinoid receptor systems may have therapeutic potential for a diverse range of human diseases. Thus, this review also summarises the demonstrated antitumour actions of cannabinoids and indicates possible avenues for the future development of cannabinoids as antitumour agents.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14640910

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1517/14728222.7.6.749

The endocannabinoid system and its therapeutic exploitation.

Posted on by
Reply

Image result for Nat Rev Drug Discov.

“The term ‘endocannabinoid’ – originally coined in the mid-1990s after the discovery of membrane receptors for the psychoactive principle in Cannabis, Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and their endogenous ligands – now indicates a whole signalling system that comprises cannabinoid receptors, endogenous ligands and enzymes for ligand biosynthesis and inactivation. This system seems to be involved in an ever-increasing number of pathological conditions. With novel products already being aimed at the pharmaceutical market little more than a decade since the discovery of cannabinoid receptors, the endocannabinoid system seems to hold even more promise for the future development of therapeutic drugs. We explore the conditions under which the potential of targeting the endocannabinoid system might be realized in the years to come.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15340387

http://www.nature.com/nrd/journal/v3/n9/full/nrd1495.html

Active Component Of Marijuana Has Anti-Cancer Effects, Study Suggests

Posted on by
Reply

“Guillermo Velasco and colleagues, at Complutense University, Spain, have provided evidence that suggests that cannabinoids such as the main active component of marijuana (THC) have anticancer effects on human brain cancer cells.

In the study, THC was found to induce the death of various human brain cancer cell lines and primary cultured human brain cancer cells by a process known as autophagy.

Consistent with the in vitro data, administration of THC to mice with human tumors decreased tumor growth and induced the tumor cells to undergo autophagy. As analysis of tumors from two patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (a highly aggressive brain tumor) receiving intracranial THC administration showed signs of autophagy, the authors suggest that cannabinoid administration may provide a new approach to targeting human cancers.”  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090401181217.htm

“Cannabinoid action induces autophagy-mediated cell death through stimulation of ER stress in human glioma cells” https://www.jci.org/articles/view/37948

 

Cannabis Oil Cures Skin Cancer

Posted on by
Reply

“After yesterday’s post about how cannabis oil helped a two-year old recover from a brain tumor, we thought we’d share another medical marijuana success story involving canna-oil. Cannabis Science, Inc., a pioneering U.S. biotech company developing pharmaceutical cannabis products, demonstrated yet another occurrence of medical marijuana’s important role in curing cancer. The firm issued a press release that shows cannabis extracts appeared to be effective against a patient’s third incidence of basal cell carcinoma—the most common form of cancer with over 800,000 cases occurring annually in the US. 

The patient was an Australian woman from Queensland, the site of the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. She had numerous surgeries to remove previous lesions on her face including a basal cell carcinoma, but her lesions kept coming back. She then used cannabis oil topically as an alternative therapy – and it worked! Cannabis Science released a PDF that includes a series of photos that documents the disappearance of the lesion after ten days of self-administering topical cannabis extracts. They then received verbal confirmation from her physician that the sites of the former cancerous lesions are free of cancer cells. 

This is an amazing recovery from this patient, however the results aren’t atypical. Over 600 peer reviewed articles show that numerous cancer types (including lung, breast, prostate, glioma, thyroid, leukemia, lymphoma, basil cell carcinoma and melanoma) are killed by cannabinoids in tissue culture and animal studies. We know that medical marijuana  is effective against many diseases and ailments, including cancer—which is precisely why 15 states and Washington DC have passed medical marijuana laws allowing for the medical use of cannabis. It’s time that the rest of the country catches up. Let’s give patients the effective and safe medicine they need and deserve.”

https://www.marijuanadoctors.com/blog/marijuana-medical-conditions/Cannabis-Oil-Cures-Skin-Cancer

Cannabinoids for Cancer Treatment: Progress and Promise

Posted on by
Reply

Cancer Research: 68 (2)

“Cannabinoid refers to a group of chemicals naturally found in the marijuana plant Cannabis sativa L. and includes compounds that are either structurally or pharmacologically similar to Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol or those that bind to the cannabinoid receptors. Although anticancer effects of cannabinoids were shown as early as 1975 in Lewis lung carcinoma, renewed interest was generated little after the discovery of the cannabinoid system and cloning of the specific cannabinoid receptors.

Cannabinoids are a class of pharmacologic compounds that offer potential applications as antitumor drugs, based on the ability of some members of this class to limit inflammation, cell proliferation, and cell survival. In particular, emerging evidence suggests that agonists of cannabinoid receptors expressed by tumor cells may offer a novel strategy to treat cancer. Here, we review recent work that raises interest in the development and exploration of potent, nontoxic, and nonhabit forming cannabinoids for cancer therapy.”

Full Text: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/68/2/339.long

Cannabinoids Halt Pancreatic Cancer, Breast Cancer Growth, Studies Say

Posted on by
Reply

“Compounds in cannabis inhibit cancer cell growth in human breast cancer cell lines and in pancreatic tumor cell lines, according to a pair of preclinical trials published in the July issue of the journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

In one trial, investigators at Complutense University in Spain and the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM) in France assessed the anti-cancer activity of cannabinoids in pancreatic cancer cell lines and in animals. Cannabinoid administration selectively increased apoptosis (programmed cell death) in pancreatic tumor cells while ignoring healthy cells, researchers found. In addition, “cannabinoid treatment inhibited the spreading of pancreatic tumor cells … and reduced the growth of tumor cells” in animals.

“These findings may contribute to … a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of pancreatic cancer,” authors concluded.

In the second trial, investigators at Spain’s Complutense University reported that THC administration “reduces human breast cancer cell proliferation [in vitro] by blocking the progression of the cell cycle and by inducing apoptosis.” Authors concluded that their findings “may set the bases for a cannabinoid therapy for the management of breast cancer.”

Previous preclinical data published in May in the Journal of Pharmacological and Experimental Therapeutics reported that non-psychoactive cannabinoids, particularly cannabidiol (CBD), dramatically halt the spread of breast cancer cells and recommended their use in cancer therapy.

Separate trials have also shown cannabinoids to reduce the size and halt the spread of glioma (brain tumor) cells in animals and humans in a dose dependent manner. Additional preclinical studies have demonstrated cannabinoids to inhibit cancer cell growth and selectively trigger malignant cell death in skin cancer cells, leukemic cells, lung cancer cells, and prostate carcinoma cells, among other cancerous cell lines.”

http://norml.org/news/2006/07/06/cannabinoids-halt-pancreatic-cancer-breast-cancer-growth-studies-say

Gemcitabine/cannabinoid combination triggers autophagy in pancreatic cancer cells through a ROS-mediated mechanism

Posted on by
Reply

“Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is one of the most aggressive and devastating human malignancies with a death-to-incidence ratio of 0.99. Although it represents only 2–3% of all cancers, pancreatic adenocarcinoma is the fourth cause of death by tumors…

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in cannabinoids as therapeutic drugs for their antineoplastic, anticachectic, and analgesic potential. Growth inhibitory activities of cannabinoids have been demonstrated for various malignancies, including brain, breast, prostate, colorectal, skin and, recently, pancreatic cancer…

In the present study, we have demonstrated that the combination between the standard chemotherapy agent GEM and cannabinoids synergistically inhibited pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell growth by a ROS-dependent autophagic cell death.

These findings support a key role of the ROS-dependent activation of an autophagic program in the synergistic growth inhibition induced by GEM/cannabinoid combination in human pancreatic cancer cells.

GEM and cannabinoids strongly inhibited growth of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells in vivo.”

Read more: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3122066/

US Investigators Praise Cannabinoids As Chemo Treatment

Posted on by
1

“Cannabinoids inhibit cancer cell proliferation and should be clinically tested as chemotherapeutic agents, according to a review published in the January issue of the journal Cancer Research.

Investigators at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health reported that the administration of cannabinoids halts the spread of a wide range of cancers, including brain cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer, pancreatic cancer, and lymphoma.

Researchers suggested that cannabinoids may offer significant advantages over standard chemotherapy treatments because the compounds are both non-toxic and can uniquely target malignant cells while ignoring healthy ones.

“Cannabinoids … offer potential applications as anti-tumor drugs, based on the ability of some members of this class to limit inflammation, cell proliferation, and cell survival,” authors concluded. “[T]here is overwhelming evidence to suggest that cannabinoids can be explored as chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer.””

Read more: http://norml.org/news/2008/01/31/us-investigators-praise-cannabinoids-as-chemo-treatment

Cannabis linked to ‘prostate cancer cure’

Posted on by
Reply

“Cannabis helps combat prostate cancer, scientists revealed yesterday.

But patients were warned not to use the drug even though active chemicals halted the spread of the disease.

Cannabis also helped reduce the size of tumours when tested on mice, according to researchers at Spain’s University of Alcala.

But Cancer Research UK’s Dr Lesley Walker said: “This opens a new avenue to explore potential drug targets but it is at a very early stage – it absolutely isn’t the case that men might be able to fight prostate cancer by smoking cannabis.

“Research suggests that prostate cancer cells might stop growing if they are treated with chemicals found in cannabis but more work needs to be done to explore the potential of these cannabinoids in treatment.”

Prostate cancer affects more than 35,000 UK men each year and kills around 10,000.”

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cannabis-linked-to-prostate-cancer-cure-413459