Possibility of Marijuana and Cancer Treatment

April 4th, 2009

In a study on marijuana and cancer by scientists from the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, they reported that with a compound called CBD, an extraction from marijuana, cancer may be cured. This is according to the lead scientist of CPMCRI, Dr. Sean D. McAllister. CBD may prevent the scattering of breast cancer cells in the body.

The potential of CBD is very promising, researchers claimed, since it could be the first harmless and non-toxic treatment for metastatic breast cancer. Known treatments for cancer in general have limited extent of effectiveness. Chemotherapy for instance, may be effective but both toxic and painful to anybody undergoing the treatment of breast cancer. Marijuana extract CBD may achieve the same objective, less the injurious process though. This discovery is another link between use of marijuana and cancer treatment.

The cancer gene known as Id-1 is believed to be the culprit in the proliferation of cancerous cells in the body. It does not only attack the tumor site but other healthy cells as well. By manipulating CBD, cancer cell Id-1 has demonstrated slower activity.
The research team was excited with this development. Although the research was focused on breast cancer, other forms of cancer such as that in the colon, brain or prostate may also benefit. This is so because Id-1 is much more aggressive in these forms of cancer.

The researchers issued a caveat as well: smoking marijuana is the wrong process in treating breast cancer. As such, they do not advocate it. According to them, the required CBD concentration to effectively counter the Id-1 activity is not achieved by smoking marijuana. Cancer cells would remain active. Moreover, CBD is not categorized as a psychoactive drug but Schedule I. As such, it needs further manipulation.

The California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute had done a research on marijuana and cancer, which reported that a compound CBD may present effective outcomes in preventing breast cancer cells from disseminating throughout the body. The researchers have reported that CBC may be the first non-toxic means, which presents possibilities in metastatic kinds of breast cancer treatment. The lead author of such study on marijuana and cancer, Sean McAllister had stated that a limited extent of options treating aggressive or fatal forms of cancer exists. Chemotherapy and other treatments may be effective although these treatments inflict toxic side-effects to patients. The study on marijuana and cancer had also presented that CBD offers a promise of non-toxic therapy to patients.

The researchers reported that this may be the first non-toxic means that displays potential in treating metastatic kinds of breast cancer. According to Sean D. McAllister, Ph.D., a cancer researcher at CPMCRI and the lead author of the study, there is a limited extent of alternatives treating aggressive forms of cancer. Treatments, like chemotherapy, may be effective. However, such treatments have toxic side-effects and are painful for patients to undergo. This new compound discovered proposes a promise of a non-toxic therapy that could accomplish similar outcomes without any of the undesirable consequences.