The more we learn about cannabis as a potential pain reliever, the more we are coming to understand how helpful it might be in treating a full range of conditions. For example, a recently published study suggests cannabis should be considered as a palliative cancer treatment. It apparently relieves more than just pain.
For many advanced cancer patients, the pain caused by the disease is the hardest part of living with it. Cancer pain can be so severe that doctors prescribe opioid painkillers just so that patients can manage it. But now, it appears as though they have another option in cannabis.
Half Reported Relief
The study in question examined 184 New York patients being treated for advanced cancer. Roughly 72% of them were given a prescription for medical cannabis. Only about half (51.5%) went on to obtain medical cannabis at a state-licensed dispensary.
Among the group that did fill their prescriptions, 48.14% reported some measure of pain relief. But that’s not all:
- 95% reduced their opioid consumption
- 11% reported relief of at least one symptom
- 72% reported adverse effects.
The numbers are pretty impressive. Nearly half of the patients found relief from their pain and/or were able to reduce opioid consumption. That is huge. When you are talking about cancer patients and palliative care, you’re talking about relieving symptoms as much as possible. That’s what palliative care is all about.
If medical cannabis can provide the relief patients are looking for, it makes no sense to deprive them of it. Likewise, would we not rather cancer patients use cannabis than opioid painkillers?
Not Entirely Conclusive
We should acknowledge the fact that the study is by no means conclusive. First of all, the sample size was very small indeed. Second, pain relief is subjective. We need a lot more data before we can set some sort of baseline to determine just how effective cannabis is as a pain reliever.
The other thing to consider is that some of the test subjects reported relief of other symptoms. Those other symptoms likely included nausea and anxiety/depression. Patients could have been referring to insomnia as well. Relieving those other symptoms is as yet another reason to look more closely at cannabis for palliative cancer care.
Early Data Looks Good
Though the New York study is getting a lot of attention right now, it is not the only study of its kind. A similar study published in early 2022 and out of Israel shows similar results. Medical cannabis offers relief from multiple cancer symptoms.
All in all, the early data looks good. That’s not surprising to the medical providers at UtahMarijuana.org. They routinely assist patients in obtaining and renewing medical cannabis cards in Utah. They say there is plenty of anecdotal evidence among cancer patients themselves indicating that cannabis is an appropriate option for palliative cancer pain treatment.
Pain continues to be the most often cited reason for consuming cannabis medically. That being the case, it stands to reason that a fair number of the patients taking it for pain are cancer patients. Unfortunately, cancer pain can be caused by the disease itself or the treatments patients receive.
Cancer patients may find themselves in a position of having to either live with their pain or take an opioid pain killer. But now medical cannabis offers another option. It is a good option.
If future studies confirm that cannabis is an appropriate option for palliative cancer treatment, they will add to the growing body of evidence in support of medical cannabis. In the meantime, cancer patients around the country are no doubt looking at cannabis to relieve their symptoms.