Look at the FACTS

In preparation for chemotherapy, patients are advised to stop taking antioxidizing agents/nutrients which can negate the intended “oxidizing” effects of chemo drugs. This can leave many alternatively-minded people at-a-loss for what supplements they can take and concerned as to whether their immune systems will be supported enough to withstand chemo’s harsh side-effects. This is where cannabis can be a literal life-saver.

Evidence is emerging that chemotherapy and radiation treatments can greatly increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to the anti-tumor effects of THC and CBD.

Cannabinoid compounds exert anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-migratory and anti-invasive actions, which provides critical immune support during invasive treatment regimens.

From an inverse perspective, cannabinoids, when used in combination with breast cancer treatments such as tamoxifen, lapatinib and cisplatin, are shown to improve the drugs’ antiproliferative effects. Some results are showing improvements upwards of 20-25%.

It is important to note that findings showed the cannabinoids did not negatively impact chemotherapy’s effects, suggesting that cannabis can at least be used as an add-on treatment to effectively deal with common side effects like nausea and loss of appetite. Beyond that, any tumor suppression or cancer cell apoptosis is an added bonus, and very much worth the investment.

Research shows that incorporating whole plant (full spectrum) cannabinoids into a natural supplement regimen improves therapeutic outcomes for traditional cancer treatments without counterbalancing or diminishing the treatments’ effectiveness.

Although I prefer patients seek individualized testing to determine which forms, brands, and dosages of cannabis are right for them, I am comfortable generally recommending that any cancer patient (and especially any breast cancer patient) consider incorporating some form of full-spectrum cannabinoid before, during and following all cancer treatments including chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy and hormone therapy.

Conners Clinic has several full-spectrum CBD products available on the web store:

Note: At this time, recreational cannabis is not legalized in Minnesota, so all THC-dominant cannabinoids must be purchased through a licensed medical professional.

For more information on Conners Clinic or to contact use, please visit www.connersclinic.com or call our office at 651.739.1248.

Bibliography

  1. Andia, Alex. THC versus Breast Cancer: Comparing the antitumoral activity of single-molecule tetrahydrocannabinol and whole plant cannabis oil . Project CBD. [Online] March 18, 2019. [Cited: July 31, 2019.] https://www.projectcbd.org/medicine/thc-versus-breast-cancer.
  2. Marcu, Jahan PhD. Cannabis & Cancer: Combining CBD and THC with conventional treatments may be the best synergy for cancer sufferers. Freedom Leaf. [Online] January 2015. [Cited: July 30, 2019.] http://online.fliphtml5.com/wixy/rdyn/#p=74.
  3. Caffarel, Maria M, et al. Cannabinoids: A new hope for breast cancer therapy? Cancer Treatment Reviews. [Online] Elsevier, November 2012. [Cited: July 31, 2019.] https://www.cancertreatmentreviews.com/article/S0305-7372(12)00139-9/fulltext.