According to research, medicinal cannabis can help relieve cancer pain and can complement other painkilling drugs. A study of 358 adults with cancer found that an equal balance of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), the active ingredients in cannabis, significantly helped pain intensity and the interference of pain in daily life. THC is the substance in cannabis that is primarily responsible for producing the ‘high’ sensation.
The study was conducted by researchers from the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, and the Medical Cannabis Programme in Oncology at Cedars Cancer Centre in Canada. They concluded that medicinal cannabis is “a safe and effective complementary treatment for pain relief in patients with cancer”. Of those studied, around a quarter took THC-dominant products, 38% took THC:CBD-balanced drugs and 17% took CBD-dominant products. Patient pain intensity, symptoms, total number of drugs taken, and daily morphine consumption were then closely monitored by healthcare professionals, quarterly for a year.
Existing evidence suggests that around 38% of all patients with cancer experience moderate to severe pain, while 66% with advanced, metastatic or terminal diseases suffer pain. This is where medicinal cannabis can play a crucial role in alleviating pain.
Currently, only specialist doctors can prescribe cannabis-based medicines on the NHS, and only for a few limited conditions such as rare and severe epilepsy. As of April, fewer than five people have received an NHS prescription, forcing many people to go private or buy drugs illegally. However, medical cannabis was legalized in the UK in 2018, and families have since urged the government and Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, to fund more research.
It’s worth noting that products containing an equal balance of THC and CBD seemed to be the most effective for pain relief in patients with cancer. At three, six, and nine months, THC:CBD-balanced products were associated with the best pain relief.
The results come as a clinical trial of an oral spray containing cannabis, to treat the most aggressive type of brain tumour – glioblastoma – has opened at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and the Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester. This is a significant development in the field of cancer treatment and one that offers hope to many patients suffering from cancer.
In conclusion, medicinal cannabis can be a safe and effective complementary treatment option for pain relief in patients with cancer failing to reach adequate pain relief through conventional analgesics, such as opioids. It’s time for more research to be conducted in this area and for medical professionals to have greater access to cannabis-based medicines for their patients.
