“Cannabinoids have been attracting a great deal of interest as potential anticancer agents. Originally derived from the plant Cannabis sativa, there are now a number of endo-, phyto- and synthetic cannabinoids available. This review summarizes the key literature to date around the actions, antitumor activity, and mechanisms of action for this broad range of compounds…

Two therapeutic avenues exist for the development of cannabinoids as anticancer agents. As antiemetic and analgesic compounds, this class of compounds has been explored in terms of palliative care. More recently, cannabinoid agonists and antagonists have been screened for potential direct antitumorigenic properties.

… results suggest that overall the cannabinoids affect multiple cellular signaling pathways, which means they have the potential to decrease cancer development, growth, and metastasis.

Overall, the cannabinoids may show future promise in the treatment of cancer, but there are many significant hurdles to be overcome. There is much still to be learned about the action of the cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system.

It is a distinct possibility that the cannabinoids may have a place in the future treatment of cancer.”

Full Text: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3770515/