October 12, 2021

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Many adults with breast cancer use cannabis but don't tell their doctors

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain
× close
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

New research indicates that almost half of U.S. adults with breast cancer use cannabis (marijuana and hemp), most commonly alongside cancer treatment to manage symptoms and side effects. However, most patients don't discuss their use of cannabis with their physicians. The findings are published early online in Cancer.

Individuals with often experience pain, fatigue, nausea, and other difficulties that arise from cancer and its treatment. Some turn to cannabis for relief of their symptoms, but many physicians feel that they lack the knowledge needed to discuss cannabis with their patients. Such knowledge is especially important now that cancer is specified as a qualifying condition in nearly all states with programs.

Investigators recently conducted an anonymous online survey to examine cannabis use among adults who were diagnosed with within five years and were members of the Breastcancer.org and Healthline.com online health communities.

Among the major findings:

"Our study highlights an important opportunity for providers to initiate informed conversations about medical cannabis with their patients, as the evidence shows that many are using medical cannabis without our knowledge or guidance," said lead author Marisa Weiss, MD, of Breastcancer.org and Lankenau Medical Center near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "Not knowing whether or not our cancer patients are using cannabis is a major blind spot in our ability to provide optimal care, and as healthcare providers, we need to do a better job of initiating informed conversations about medical cannabis with our patients to make sure their symptoms and side effects are being adequately managed while minimizing the risk of potential adverse effects, treatment interactions, or non-adherence to standard treatments due to misinformation about the use of medical cannabis to treat cancer."

Dr. Weiss added that patients should never use cannabis as an alternative to standard , and clinicians should inform patients about the safe and effective use of cannabis as an adjunct to their cancer treatment plan.

More information: "A Coala-T-Survey of Breast Cancer Patients' Use of Cannabis Before, During and After Treatment." Cancer (2021). DOI: 10.1002/cncr.33906

Journal information: Cancer

Provided by Wiley

Load comments (0)