CBD Increases Life Expectancy for Brain Cancer

CBD Increases Life Expectancy for Brain Cancer

cbd for brain cancer

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most aggressive diseases known to man.

In fact, a diagnosis with glioblastoma multiforme is almost synonymous to a death sentence, because the average survival rate is just 15 to 19 months. That’s because partly, this condition is almost always resistant to treatment, and tumor recurrence is unavoidable.

But for patients with GBM, cannabidiol provides hope. Many studies show how this cannabinoid works in different ways to treat this condition, even prolonging the life expectancy of patients: from inhibiting tumor proliferation preventing local invasion, CBD, especially when combined with other conventional forms of treatment, may be the life-saving revolutionary medicine we have been needing all along.

A recent study out of Vienna, Austria just revealed that daily consumption of plant-derived CBD was found to be associated with an improvement in life expectancy among patients with brain cancer. The study, whose findings were taken from an analysis of case studies, was published in the medical journal, Anticancer Research.

For the study, Austrian scientists analyzed CBD’s impact on 9 patients with glioblastoma multiforme. They were given 400mg of CBD everyday together with other conventional anti-cancer treatments. According to the authors, 8 out of the 9 patients survived “with a mean survival time of 22.3 months”. This survival rate is much longer that is expected among those with this condition.

“Preliminary observations suggest a potential role of CBD in the treatment of glioma,” conclude the authors.

These are the latest out of a few studies that are promising for patients with glioblastoma multiforme. Another older study revealed that cannabinoids have powerful anti-tumor benefits that can benefit the treatment of this condition through its ability to induce tumor cell death, inhibit the proliferation of the tumor, as well as angiogenesis.

Some of these studies go back to the 1990s, and even though they were studied via animal models, the rodents involved showed that 2 years of exposure to THC increased their survival rates compared to subjects exposed to placebo. Cannabinoids were also revealed to inhibit the aggressive nature of GBM tumors.

Cannabis For Cancer

Cannabis is certainly the most revolutionary breakthrough in the medical world when it comes to cancer treatment. In India, researchers from the Amity University analyzed literature that involved studying the effects of cannabinoids on various types of cancer as well as the plant’s healing abilities for treating nausea, lack of appetite, and pain that is commonly experienced by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

They found that not only does cannabis mitigate the side effects of chemotherapy; it also helps in slowing down cancer cell proliferation while killing the very cancer cells in some cases.

“Apart from exerting palliative effects, THC also shows promising role in the treatment of cancer growth, neurodegenerative diseases (multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease), and alcohol addiction and hence should be exploited for potential benefits,” reads the study’s abstract.

Most of the studies reviewed were focused on in vitro trials, which involved studying isolated cancer cells taken from humans though some of the studies involved animal subjects. They found that cannabinoids “exert potent (anti-growth) activity and activate various apoptotic mechanisms eventually leading to cell death,” when it came to cancer cells of glioma. The researchers also found at least one clinical study revealing that patients who had recurring glioblastoma multiform, who were given a “proprietary combination of THC and CBD” on top of traditional pharmaceutical drugs, saw improved survival rates by 83%, while those on placebo saw an increase of 53% in their survival rates.

“Furthermore, research evidences on cannabinoids have suggested tumor inhibiting and suppressing properties which warrant reconsidering legality of the substance,” says the researchers. “Studies on cannabinoid receptors, in case of cancers, have demonstrated the psychoactive constituents of cannabinoids to be potent against tumor growth.”

Since CB1 and CB2 receptor activation “tends to limit human cancer cell growth,” the researchers believe that the “role of the endocannabinoid system as a novel target for the treatment of cancers”.

However, many doctors still believe that CBD may be the best route of treatment for those with brain tumors and cancers such as GBM. This is a more sensitive case compared to other kinds of cancers, so the absence of psychoactivity may be beneficial for patients.