CBD for Cancer:
Can it Help? December 2024

Cancer Overview:  UNDERSTANDING WHAT CANCER IS

Cancer is an extremely complex group of over 100 different diseases, but they all involve the uncontrolled growth and division of the body’s cells.

Normal cells in the body grow and divide in a controlled manner. They follow signals the body produces that direct when the cells should and shouldn’t divide. For instance, cells will be instructed to grow and divide when there’s a wound to repair. ¹

But cancer begins when cells break free of these constraints and can begin growing and dividing uncontrollably. This happens by accumulating certain mutations or changes to the cell’s DNA.

Some of these mutations can be inherited from parents, which is why family history can sometimes be an indicator of cancer risk. ²

American actress Angelina Jolie famously decided to undergo a double mastectomy after having lost her mother to ovarian cancer and finding out that she inherited a mutation in the BRCA1 gene – which placed her at a higher risk of developing cancer herself.

However, the National Cancer Institute estimates that only approximately 5-10% of cancers are inherited.

Most mutations occur after birth and are caused by carcinogens – substances that can cause DNA damage – or other environmental factors: ³ ⁴

• Alcohol – Research suggests that about 3.6% of cancers have a high correlation with chronic daily alcohol consumption.
• Smoking tobacco – More than 85% of all lung cancers have a high correlation with tobacco smoking. Among the 4,000 chemicals that have been identified in tobacco smoke, almost 40 of them are known to be carcinogenic.
• Viruses and bacteria – Some infectious agents such as HPVs (human papilloma viruses), hepatitis B and C, and Helicobacter pylori can damage cells and tissues, increasing the risk of developing certain types of cancers.
• Ultraviolet Radiation – UV rays from the sun, sunlamps, and tanning booths can damage exposed skin and increase the risk of skin cancer.
• Pollutants – A lot of air and water pollutants are carcinogenic, such as arsenic in polluted groundwater and chemicals from diesel exhaust.
• Aging – Most cancers occur in people over 55, largely because it can take time for cells to accumulate enough mutations to become cancerous.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States and is exceeded only by heart disease. There are an estimated 1.6 million new cases of cancer every year and nearly 600,000 cancer-related deaths.

A QUICK BREAKDOWN OF Cancer Subtypes 

Depending on the type of cell that becomes cancerous, their behavior and response to treatment can vary. Most cancers fall into three main groups:

• Carcinomas – this includes approximately 90% of cancers and arise in epithelial cells that line the skin, internal organs, and blood vessels. Most lung, breast, colon, and prostate cancers are carcinomas.
• Leukemia and Lymphomas – these account for approximately 8% of cancers and arise from blood cells and cells of the immune system, respectively.
• Sarcomas – these are cancers that lead to tumors in connective tissues such as muscle, bone, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.

Cancers can then be further classified based on the tissues that they originate from. For instance, ductal breast carcinomas are a type of breast cancer that originates from cells that line the milk duct in the breast.

How CBD can manage Cancer Pain and Nausea 

Cannabinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD), have gained popularity in the biomedical field due to their potential anti-cancer effects and use in managing other symptoms – such as pain and nausea – in cancer patients. ⁵

Significant research has already shown that cannabinoids – particularly tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – can be used to treat nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy. There are two FDA-approved synthetic THCs – Dronabinol and Nabilone – for use in treating chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. ⁵

THC is the principal psychoactive component of cannabis and when consumed can cause the feelings of “euphoria” or “high” that are typically associated with cannabis. ⁶ ¹⁰ CBD is non-psychoactive and does not lead to those same sensations.

Cannabinoids interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). Endocannabinoids are naturally produced chemicals in the human body that regulate various biological processes. Research is ongoing to confirm how the ECS influences brain function, pain, immunity, and metabolism.

Cannabinoids such as THC and CBD can mimic these natural “endocannabinoids” and bind to endocannabinoid receptors including CB1 and CB2, causing similar effects.

THC can stimulate the CB1 receptor and prevent the release of hormones that trigger nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy. ⁶ CBD is thought to elicit a similar response by preventing the breakdown of natural endocannabinoids.

A 2010 randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study in animal models from Spain found that patients with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting benefited from using a 1:1 THC and CBD spray – 71% reported no vomiting as compared to 22% with the placebo. ⁷

A review of eight different preliminary efficacy analyses also found that cannabinoids reduced neuropathic and cancer pain in patients as compared to a placebo (37% reduction with cannabinoids versus 31% with a placebo). ⁸

Early studies on the drug, Nabiximol, a 1:1 THC and CBD spray also found a reduction in patient-reported cancer pain as compared to a placebo. ⁹

These studies so far suggest that THC and CBD can have anti-nausea and anti-pain effects. However, most trials have relied on using THC and CBD together, so it’s not clear yet if you can use CBD for cancer pain.

Anti-Cancer Effects: Can CBD Cure Cancer?

Apart from its use in managing cancer-related pain and nausea, CBD products (such as CBD oil) are also being investigated for possible anti-cancer effects. We have to be clear here, there is no cure for cancer, but the scientific research is ongoing.

Studies on cancer cells have shown that many cancer types – including breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancer cells – all have higher-than-average numbers of CB1 and CB2 receptors. ¹⁰

In some studies, researchers found that the elevated levels of CB receptors in certain cancer cells were correlated with more aggressive tumors. In some instances, these cells with more highly activated CB receptors were more mobile and divided faster – possibly helping them to become more invasive. ¹¹

However, in other cancer types, such as colorectal cancer, researchers have found a lower number of CB1 receptors. A study on mice with colorectal tumors showed a correlation between lower levels of CB1 receptors and faster cancer progression. ¹²

These differences suggest more about how the ECS influences cancer development that hasn’t unraveled. Likewise, it remains uncertain whether CBD could be influencing other biological systems in the body outside of the ECS and CB receptors and, in general, if you can use CBD oil for cancer.

In petri dish studies, the addition of CBD has been shown to kill or slow down different types of cancer cells including glioblastoma, leukemia, melanoma, lung, breast, cervical, and prostate cancer cell lines. ¹³

In mice, CBD cancer therapy has also been shown to slow down “angiogenesis,” a process by which new blood vessels are created to supply oxygen and nutrients to cells. Tumors rely on this process to gain access to nutrients needed for growth. By blocking angiogenesis, CBD could be useful in preventing tumors from growing. ¹⁴

CURRENT Research ON CBD AND CANCER

Many new follow-up studies have since been done to examine the influence of CBD on cancer development in animals. However, some of the results have been conflicting. ¹⁵

The first reported study of using CBD and other cannabinoids to slow tumor growth in animals was done in 1975. Lung cancer was transplanted into animals which were then given THC or CBD over 10 days. Researchers found that THC had a dose-dependent ability to slow tumor growth while CBD had no effect.

However, in more recent studies, CBD has been shown to have anti-tumor effects in other types of cancers. In mice transplanted with human glioma cells – a kind of brain cancer – CBD at a dose of between 15-20 mg/kg administered over 18-28 days was effective in reducing tumor size and prolonging the animals’ survival. ¹⁶

A similar anti-cancer effect was seen in mice transplanted with other cancer types. In mouse models transplanted with human breast cancer, CBD administered at 10mg/kg blocked tumor growth and prevented metastasis – a process where cancer cells can move from one organ to colonize a different one. ¹⁷

In mice injected with lung cancer cells, treating them with 5mg/kg CBD prevented the cancer cells from colonizing the lungs by 84%. ¹⁸

While these early animal studies have been promising, no work has yet been completed to evaluate the use of CBD for treating cancer in human patients.

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the Hadassah Medical Organization in Jerusalem, Israel, is looking to recruit 60 participants for a clinical trial to assess the use of pure CBD in treating solid tumor cancers. Recruitment has not yet begun.

Similarly, a Spanish neurological oncology research group, GEINO, is looking to test a 1:1 THC and CBD combination drug to treat glioblastoma, a type of brain tumor with a median survival time of only approximately 12 months.

THC and CBD will be used alongside the chemotherapy drug temozolomide and radiotherapy. Doctors hope to see if hemp’s properties will be complementary to medications not only for preventing the growth of cancer cells but also for treating side effects of chemotherapy, such as neuropathic pain. Recruitment has not yet begun.

Some research also suggests you may be able to use synthetic cannabinoids to prevent cancer cell growth. However, more research is required to better understand cannabis and cancer, notably with other cannabinoids, such as cannabigerol (CBG).

SHOULD I TRY USING CBD for MY Cancer?

While initial laboratory and animal research surrounding the use of CBD and other cannabinoids in cancer treatment has been promising, there isn’t enough evidence that they can be effective for treating cancer in humans.

As such, health organizations including the American Cancer Society caution against relying on cannabinoids alone as a treatment for cancer while avoiding or delaying conventional medical care.

Even with using CBD to treat cancer-related pain, nausea, or vomiting, users should seek out the advice and support of the medical professionals treating their cancer first.

It is also important to keep in mind that while CBD is generally safe and well-tolerated, it can also cause a wide range of side effects. ¹⁹ Some of these can include: ²⁰

• Tiredness
• Drowsiness
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Dry mouth
• Low blood pressure
• Light-headedness
• Changes in appetite or weight

OUR OVERALL THOUGHTS ON CBD AND CANCER

Significant foundational research has already been done in both cell culture and animal studies indicating an anti-cancer effect for CBD. But without human trials, it’s not clear if it’s effective to use CBD for cancer in human trials. Nonetheless, the link between cancer development and the ECS makes CBD a promising avenue for cancer therapy research.