Does Cannabis help treat Cancer?

[Mikeferdy]

Hello fellow nerdfighters, I'd like to bring this issue up for discussion as it is a very important subject to my family with one of my family members being diagnosed with cancer.

First of all, this is not a "should marijuana be legalized" type of thread. This is not talking about using Cannabis for recreational purposes, but about the actual usage in Cancer treatment.

I first got to hear about this from a Rick Simpson video called "Run from the Cure" which is available on YouTube. In the video, he talks about how he extract the oil out of the cannabis plant to help the people close to him. Naturally I was a bit skeptical as the video is mainly random news report, badly edited shots and only testimonies from the people he "cured".

But I continued to search on and I found that his claims may be holding some ground. There is another documentary called "what if marijuana cured cancer" also available on YouTube. The documentary showed more scientific facts, mentioning how the human body have 2 different types of endocannabinoid receptors called CB1 located in the brain and CB2 located everywhere else and that cannabinol compounds found in cannabis called delta 9 tetrahydro cannabinol, cannabadiol and approximately 40 compounds could lead to the apoptosis of certain cancer cells.

The documentary also showed that there were studies done on mice infected on cancer cells that showed significant reduction on the implanted tumors.

I continued to search online trying to find any form of medical research papers or reports that could back this up. Initially I thought its gonna be hard but it turns out its all over the place.

http://www.drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/cancer/THC_cancer_sep_1975.htm

This one shows an extract from a 1975 studies called Journal of the National Cancer Institute which quote

"These results lend further support to increasing evidence that, in addition to the well-known behavioral effects of delta-9-THC, this agent modifies other cell responses that may have greater biologic significance in that they have antineoplastic activity."


I also found a company called Cannabis Science Inc 
http://www.cannabisscience.com/

That actively research on the use of cannabis in medicine and has published several studies on the effects of cannabis on HIV, Cancer, Alzheimer's diseases and several others.

Lastly, through the magical powers of the Internet, I bear witness to a live web stream of a Medical Cannabis conference called Patients Out of Time on 28 and 29 of April. Full summary of events below.

http://www.medicalcannabis.com/Clinical-Conferences/2012-tucson-az

The web stream was then recorded and uploaded to YouTube here.

http://www.youtube.com/user/NORMLnet


This is truly blowing my mind. I seriously can't think of anymore reason to be skeptical. And then this news story turn me into a believer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmviQBB5DHs

I am throughly out of skeptical cells to skepticize.


How can something that bring so much good be illegal? And worst of all, I cannot get it freely where I am in Singapore because it is not only illegal, it carries a mandatory DEATH penalty.

http://www.cnb.gov.sg/drugs/bannedsubstance/cannabis.aspx


This seriously feels like a living nightmare. I have heard about vitamin B17 being banned but Laetrile had very little scientific backing to begin with. Cannabis has scientific backing.

I still have doubts that Cannabis extract can "cure" cancer but from everything I learn, it seems like it help a lot. And to deny patients from attaining this herb under penalty of death is nothing short of Monsterous.

I tried to bring the matter up on a Singapore public forum but it never got any responses.

http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat-drink-man-woman-16/%5Bdiscuss...

I tried emailing the newspaper and the Singapore Cancer Society and I received no response. Sometimes if it is not for my mom assuring me everything I read is real, I began to think I'm imagining all these thing.......

[Latch33570]

How would we know? There is many kinds of cancer and different types of chemo drugs for them. (in case you didn't know chemo is various drugs administered differently from pills to IV to injections to your spinal cord so that it will go to your brain) My point is that there is different cancers and different drugs and because of the restrictions placed by the govt marajuana treatment is relatively new. Worth a try I doubt it would hurt.

[Abreo]

I heard it may have some healing powers but I definitely know that smoking it is supposed to help relieve the pain from chemo and help prevent the patients from throwing up and feeling like shit all the time. Even if it can't cure cancer that certainly sounds like a huge plus.

[CD]

I'm on the fence.  I have heard that marijuana is useful as a pain killer for cancer patients, and sometimes beneficial for people with multiple sclerosis.  In a similar way that chocolate may be beneficial, but I wouldn't say that chocolate cures cancer or MS.

I am also not well versed in neoplastic syndromes, but I have some ideas on how this might relate to specific kinds of cancer (but not all, and these are rough ideas only).  So I would say, get conventional medical treatment as soon as possible, because cancer gets worse unless you treat it....and stick through it, for as long as you can...don't give up on the meds! It's a long, long haul...and there is no easy road out of it. The odds and the illness suck, but the odds are a lot better these days than they were a decade ago....so keep at it, and the sooner the better..

There's plenty of quack advice out there, and we wouldn't want your relative dying on bung advice.   But unless your doctor says this relative personally shouldn't be smoking marijuana for medical reasons, it could be helpful for the nausea, appetite loss and pain associated with the illness/treatment....as far as I know....it might not be, too.  And given that this is illegal in Singapore, some medical tourism to Amsterdam or something might be up your alley.  Better to investigate that earlier though, because chemo is sometimes worse than the disease.  But the main thing is, get a good oncologist providing the best quality treatment as soon as possible.  Plenty of time to toke when they're out of the woods.

[Khadija]

You could talk about this with the doctor, but you'll have to know what your family member wants first. Stay strong.

[Latch33570]

It is your body therefore if you want to smoke pot do it.

[Vertigo_One [Ops Mod]]

And damn the consequences to all those around you when you cause whatever problems you do when your brain is later caused serious problems by said smoking

[Abreo]

Yeah! Those unproven consequences are way worse than cancer! I'd rather have a brain-tumor than a pot-head.

[CD]

The link between marijuana and psychiatric illnesses is not weak but it is highly questionable, and can usually be explained more adequately (but not completely) by other variables.  Pot is guaranteed to make you sluggish, hungry and laugh a lot.  It's not guaranteed to make you see orange pixies stabbing butterflies with ball point pens.  Actually, not even LSD does that.  Nonetheless, it's not impossible, and like all good things;  in moderation for everyone and not recommended for others at high risk.  And no proof that I know of that it cures cancer.  But as Michelle said you definitely need to get the munchies when you're having chemo.

[Michelle, SleekHare]

My grandmother was recently diagnosed with lung cancer, and as a result I spoke with a professor of biochemistry (who happens to do a lot of cancer research on the side) about this very subject just the other day.

According to that conversation, there's no conclusive evidence (yet) that cannabis does anything to help rid the body of actual cancer cells. But it certainly tricks the mind into thinking it's hungry, and reduces nausea, which is what combats the most detrimental side effect of chemotherapy.

To recap why chemotherapy works, and why cannabis may help it:

Cancer is what happens when cells refuse to stop replicating.  Healthy cells have various "checkpoints" in their dividing process (mitosis/meiosis) that tell them if they should begin replicating - and if they should continue replicating once the process is started.  Healthy cells will kill or repair themselves if anything in the replication process goes wrong.  Cancer cells are missing something in that process that tells them to stop and/or die. Cancer, in a sense, is immortal.

Chemotherapy kills cells that are in the replication process. The body cells that replicate most frequently are those that produce hair and, more importantly in regards to cannabis, those that line the interior of the stomach.  This is why cancer patients often lose their hair and vomit.  One of the most important things any cancer patient can do while on chemotherapy is eat - your healthy cells will need the nutrition. As stated before, cannabis helps with this.

I'm going over your links now.  So far I only see sensationalism with no real scientific & medical facts.  Sensationalism is great for generating excitement and turning that into funds for say, research.  But little else.  When I'm done reviewing your links, I'll post again. :)

[CD]

I should have said this more directly earlier: good luck & best wishes to anyone who has cancer:  Mohamed's relo, Michelle's nan and anyone else.  Having lost a few people to cancer I know it sucks and barely even how much. The strength people show when they're that sick is mind blowingly inspirational, and we can only hope that everything comes together to create a full and permanent remission for all...xxx

[Mikeferdy]

Hey guys, thanks for some of the support.

I'm currently in an obsessive mode, looking up everything I can about anything that can help with this cancer problem...

There's someone who started a blog for cannabis awareness
http://singapore-cannabis-awareness.tumblr.com/

The blog links a few videos and articles about cannabis. Latest one being "Raw juiced cannabis" which they claim wint get you high at all unless the juice is heated.

Other than that, there's this claim that came out of no where about "Sabah snake grass" which dont have any scientific backing but a few testimonials.

Another one is "dandelion tea" which according to some article is receiving a grant for further research into cancer treatment.

[CD]

I'm currently in an obsessive mode, looking up everything I can about anything that can help with this cancer problem...

Don't blame ya mate, I would be too.  Just make sure you don't put all your eggs in an unproven basket...good luck with all that....