The Role of Cannabis in the Fight against Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is gynecological cancer that is mainly found in postmenopausal women. In many instances, there is a 6 month delay until the cancer is diagnosed; this leads to 70% of all cases being diagnosed only in the late stages of the cancer. Late-stage ovarian cancer usually cannot be cured, leading it to be the 5th leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women and the 7th most common cancer in the world. Treatment for this cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy, and specialized treatments that target the cancer cell processes. However, these treatments have not been very effective as 80% of patients have shown relapse for this disease. Using repeated drug treatments may cause cancer cells and pathogens to resist the drugs upon further use which can cause multidrug resistance.
With many ineffective treatments against ovarian cancer and other cancers, cannabis and its associated compounds are being researched as a possible treatment against multiple cancers. Cannabis, specifically Cannabis Sativa, already has several medical applications that are used to lessen pain and symptoms. This is due to the fact that Cannabis Sativa contains at least 600 different compounds. For instance, the cannabis plant has hundreds of phytocannabinoids, which have been shown to have anti-cancer properties. Several phytocannabinoids in particular have shown effectiveness in the treatment of skin, prostate, lung, and breast cancer cells.
With many ineffective treatments against ovarian cancer and other cancers, cannabis and its associated compounds are being researched as a possible treatment against multiple cancers. Cannabis, specifically Cannabis Sativa, already has several medical applications that are used to lessen pain and symptoms. This is due to the fact that Cannabis Sativa contains at least 600 different compounds. For instance, the cannabis plant has hundreds of phytocannabinoids, which have been shown to have anti-cancer properties. Several phytocannabinoids in particular have shown effectiveness in the treatment of skin, prostate, lung, and breast cancer cells.
Cannabinoids found in the Cannabis plant have shown anti-cancer properties vital to the fight against cancer.
Image Source: Tara Winstead
The most common phytocannabinoids, THC and CBD, have been researched to identify various mechanisms to effectively play a role in cancer treatment. THC, the psychoactive ingredient in Cannabis Sativa, is able to cause apoptosis, or the programmed death of certain cells, and also stops further growth, migration, and survival of many different cancer types, such as in glioblastoma (GBM) multiforme cells, which are invasive cells that form fast-growing tumors in the brain. CBD has also shown similar effects, such as reducing the invasiveness of breast cancer cells and lessening GBM tumor growth. In the case of ovarian cancer cells, CBD oil was able to slow activity of the cell pathway that is responsible for the self-renewal and drug resistance . Some studies have also shown that when CBD was given through solution it was able to increase the activity of paclitaxel treatments, which is a molecule used in chemotherapy to stop cancer cell growth.
Research on cannabis and its associated benefits is quite recent and there is still much to learn about specific compounds and their effects on the human body. Currently, the legalization of both medical and recreational cannabis is divided on the federal and state level. Federally, cannabis is a schedule 1 drug, making it illegal on the federal level. However, at the state level, medical cannabis is legal in 38 states, and recreational cannabis is legal in 22 states. Despite still being classified as a schedule 1 drug, The Cannabis Research bill has legalized research on the medical benefits of marijuana and drugs derived from the Cannabis Sativa plant. With Cannabis legislation becoming more flexible, further research on the plant can be continued, allowing us to learn more about the Cannabis plant and its benefits.
Research on cannabis and its associated benefits is quite recent and there is still much to learn about specific compounds and their effects on the human body. Currently, the legalization of both medical and recreational cannabis is divided on the federal and state level. Federally, cannabis is a schedule 1 drug, making it illegal on the federal level. However, at the state level, medical cannabis is legal in 38 states, and recreational cannabis is legal in 22 states. Despite still being classified as a schedule 1 drug, The Cannabis Research bill has legalized research on the medical benefits of marijuana and drugs derived from the Cannabis Sativa plant. With Cannabis legislation becoming more flexible, further research on the plant can be continued, allowing us to learn more about the Cannabis plant and its benefits.
Featured Image Source: Yash Lucid
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