Medicinal cannabis proves safe and effective for cancer pain relief, says study

According to the study, products with an equal balance of THC and CBD were more effective in relieving cancer pain than those with either THC or CBD dominance. Patients who took the balanced products reported significantly decreased pain intensity and interference with daily activities. 

The total number of medications patients took consistently decreased throughout the 12-month study period, and opioid use decreased during the first three check-ups. While the study was observational and unable to establish causation, the researchers still concluded that medicinal cannabis could be a safe and complementary option for cancer patients who do not find adequate pain relief from traditional analgesics like opioids.

Close healthcare professional supervision is a key factor in safe use

The researchers emphasized that the positive safety profile observed in this study regarding medicinal cannabis can be attributed, at least in part, to the close supervision of healthcare professionals who authorized, directed, and monitored its use. This underscores the significance of ensuring that healthcare professionals with specialized knowledge in medicinal cannabis are responsible for prescribing and monitoring its administration.

According to the study, the most commonly recommended method of administering medicinal cannabis was oral. The researchers suggest that additional studies are necessary to establish the ideal dosage and method of administration for various forms of cancer-related pain.

Study Abstract: 

Objectives To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of medical cannabis (MC) in reducing pain and concurrent medications in patients with cancer. 

Methods This study analyzed data collected from patients with cancer who were part of the Quebec Cannabis Registry. Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), revised Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS-r) questionnaires, total medication burden (TMB) and morphine equivalent daily dose (MEDD) recorded at 3-month, 6-month, 9-month and 12-month follow-ups were compared with baseline values. Adverse events were also documented at each follow-up visit. 

Results This study included 358 patients with cancer. Thirteen out of 15 adverse events reported in 11 patients were not serious; 2 serious events (pneumonia and cardiovascular event) were considered unlikely related to MC. Statistically significant decreases were observed at 3-month, 6-month and 9-month follow-up for BPI worst pain (5.5±0.7 baseline, 3.6±0.7, 3.6±0.7, 3.6±0.8; p<0.01), average pain (4.1±0.6 baseline, 2.4±0.6, 2.3±0.6, 2.7±0.7; p<0.01), overall pain severity (3.7±0.5 baseline, 2.3±0.6, 2.3±0.6, 2.4±0.6; p<0.01) and pain interference (4.3±0.6 baseline, 2.4±0.6, 2.2±0.6, 2.4±0.7, p<0.01). ESAS-r pain scores decreased significantly at 3-month, 6-month and 9-month follow-up (3.7±0.6 baseline, 2.5±0.6, 2.2±0.6, 2.0±0.7, p<0.01). THC:CBD balanced strains were associated with better pain relief as compared with THC-dominant and CBD-dominant strains. Decreases in TMB were observed at all follow-ups. Decreases in MEDD were observed at the first three follow ups. 

Conclusions Real-world data from this large, prospective, multicentre registry indicate that MC is a safe and effective complementary treatment for pain relief in patients with cancer. Our findings should be confirmed through randomized placebo-controlled trials.