Cannabis Use Associated With Reduced Risk Of Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the 5th leading cause of death among men around the globe, and the second most prevalent cancer. It’s responsible for some 375,000 deaths annually, and 1.4 million new cases every year.
It’s critical for men to diagnose prostate cancer early, since late diagnosis can greatly diminish survival rates. Catching prostate cancer early also helps prevent the spread, or metastasis, of cancer to other body parts which can include the lymph nodes, bones, or internal organs. Additionally, when prostate cancer is diagnosed early, it can give patients the benefit of more treatment options to consider.
Thanks to advances in medicine, there are now several effective treatment methods that patients can utilize for prostate cancer. Doctors can recommend any combination of therapies depending on the stage of the prostate cancer, as well as other factors including the patient’s overall health and any preferences he may have. Oftentimes, surgery can be the first line of defense, followed by chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy.
Cannabis has also been shown to be an effective complementary tool that all cancer patients can benefit from. Integrating marijuana into a new, healthier lifestyle to combat cancer can be beneficial for pain relief, nausea and vomiting control, better sleep, improved appetite, and reduced inflammation. There are several studies to back it up, and now studies also show that cannabis use has been linked to a reduced risk in prostate cancer!
Recent Studies
The findings of a brand-new study have just been released. Researchers utilized a cross-sectional analysis with data taken from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Using data from more than 2,500 participants, most of whom were 65 and up. In addition, around 36% of participants were diagnosed with prostate cancer at the time they were interviewed.
Based on the sample, a little over half of the participants said they never consumed marijuana. Meanwhile, 40.8% said they were past users and 5.8% admitted to being current users. According to the researchers, there was a 21% decrease in prostate cancer occurrence among marijuana consumers compared to those who weren’t consuming the drug. Interestingly, they also saw a 22% drop in prostate cancer occurrence among marijuana users who were 65 years old and up compared to non-consumers.
In summary, the findings suggest that past cannabis users had a “significantly lower prevalence of PC compared to non-users.”
“Our findings provide corroborative data from a large national, population-based survey to strengthen the existing body of evidence suggesting a potentially protective role of marijuana against the development of PC,” wrote the researchers. “Since medical marijuana is being used more frequently in cancer patients for pain control, nausea, and abdominal pain and nearly half of oncologists report prescribing medical marijuana to patients at some point in their practice, future prospective studies in patients on medical marijuana may facilitate our further understanding of potential anticancer properties,” they added.
“These results allow us to hypothesize that the use of marijuana may have resulted in activation of cannabinoid receptors on prostate cancer cells and slowed tumor progression, resulting in lower rates of self-reported prostate cancer in the survey,” explained lead researcher, Turab J Mohammed, MD, an oncology and hematology fellow at the Moffitt Cancer Center, to Healio.
Integrating Medical Marijuana In Treatment Plans
Men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer now have more hope than ever with cannabis. After all, cannabis is the one ‘drug’ that has made the biggest strides in terms of cancer breakthroughs and therapies over the last two decades. No other medicine has come close to what cannabis has helped countless cancer patients around the world achieve.
While we don’t have all the answers just yet, cannabis has helped shine a light for cancer patients and their families. It has been shown to help prevent certain cancers from growing at all, and for those who have been diagnosed with it, cannabis may kill, or slow down tumor growth. There is never any guarantee for anyone though the evidence we have today is definitely promising.
That goes for many kinds of cancer, including prostate cancer. The prostate makes up part of the human endocannabinoid system, which is why it makes total sense for the prostate gland to be receptive to cannabinoid treatment. Furthermore, prostate cancer cells have been found to contain more CB1 and CB2 receptors compared to normal cells in other parts of the body. This enables these cells to be more receptive to cannabinoids, and laboratory studies have showed that prostate cancer cells are more likely to die off when treated with cannabinoids.
What To Do If You Have Prostate Cancer And Want To Use Cannabis
Cancer is a qualifying health condition in a majority of states that have legalized medical marijuana. https://docmj.com/cannabis-and-prostate-cancer-facts-you-need-to-know/ If you live in a state where cancer is a qualifying condition, you can be eligible for a cannabis card,making it simpler for doctors to treat you with marijuana. Different studies on which cannabis strains to try for prostate cancer are out and published.
Pot can also help you cope with the side effects of chemotherapy and treatment. These include neuropathy, appetite loss, nausea, vomiting, headaches, and chronic pain.
It's recommended to speak with a licensed healthcare provider with experience using marijuana for treating prostate cancer. Thankfully, there are more options than ever when it comes to symptom management and treatment. As with other conditions, early detection is key – so even if you don’t have cancer yet, do consider getting screened on a regular basis.
PROSTATE CANCER AND MEDICAL MARIJUANA, READ ON...
