Marijuana compound could help fight breast cancer

“There may be a new weapon in the fight against aggressive forms of breast cancer in the future, and it comes from an unlikely source: Marijuana. Researchers at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco believe a compound in marijuana may help.

The research funded by the California Breast Cancer Research Program builds on more than a decade of studies involving the genes responsible for the spread of cancer. Now scientists have found at the cellular level, a compound in cannabis inhibits the gene that controls the spread of cancer.”

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/health&id=5771385

Pot Helped Doctor Fight Cancer

“When Dan Shapiro was diagnosed with Hodgkins’ disease in 1987, he called a friend who had also battled cancer.

His friend’s advice, Shapiro says, came in a six-word package: “Cancer is grim, man, get weed.”

Shapiro, who’s been in remission for nine years, said the marijuana helped him stay functional despite the notoriously-debilitating chemotherapy. He wrote about his experiences in his recent book Mom’s Marijuana (Harmony, 2000).”

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=93712&page=1

Marijuana Compound May Fight Lung Cancer – ABCNews

“the active ingredient in pot may help fight lung cancer, new research shows.

Harvard University researchers have found that, in both laboratory and mouse studies, delta-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cuts tumor growth in half in common lung cancer while impeding the cancer’s ability to spread.

The compound “seems to have a suppressive effect on certain lines of cancer cells,” explained Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

According to the researchers, THC fights lung cancer by curbing epidermal growth factor (EGF), a molecule that promotes the growth and spread of particularly aggressive non-small cell lung cancers.”

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=4506595

NBC News Reports that Cannabidiol (CBD) “Turns Off” the Cancer Gene Involved in Metastasis Findings by Scientists at California Pacific Medical Center gives Scientific Support for Cannabis Science Initiatives

“cannabidiol, (CBD), has the ability to “turn off” a gene that causes breast and other types of cancers to metastasize, according to the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper.

“What they found is that the cannabinoid turns off the overexpression of ID-1, which makes the cells lose their ability to travel to distant tissues. In other words, it keeps the cells more local and blocks their ability to metastasize. (spread to a new location) The researchers stressed cannabidiol works only on cancer cells that have these high levels of ID-1 and these do not include all cancerous tumors but, rather, aggressive, metastatic cells. But they’ve found such high levels in leukemia, colorectal, pancreatic, lung, ovarian, brain and other cancers.””

http://www.cnbc.com/id/49106127/NBC_News_Reports_that_Cannabidiol_CBD_Turns_Off_the_Cancer_Gene_Involved_in_Metastasis_Findings_by_Scientists_at_California_Pacific_Medical_Center_gives_Scientific_Support_for_Cannabis_Science_Initiatives

Medical Cannabis prevents the spread of Breast Cancer – NBC News

“This video is from NBC News San Francisco.  It demonstrates some of the findings of some Bay Area doctors when researching cannabis and it’s effect on cancer.”

http://berkeleypatientscare.com/2011/06/10/medical-cannabis-prevents-the-spread-of-breast-cancer-nbc-news/

Marijuana Chemical Cannabidiol Halts Spread of Breast Cancer Tumors

“A non-psychoactive chemical that occurs naturally in the marijuana plant may prevent breast cancer from spreading, according to a study published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics.

Researchers found that a chemical called cannabidiol (CBD) affects the activity of a gene known as Id-1 in patients with hormone-independent breast cancer.

“Right now we have a limited range of options in treating aggressive forms of cancer,” co-author Sean D. McAllister said. “Those treatments, such as chemotherapy, can be effective but they can also be extremely toxic and difficult for patients. This compound offers the hope of a non-toxic therapy that could achieve the same results without any of the painful side effects.”

The researchers also expressed hope that CBD will also prove effective against other cancers that rely on Id-1, including brain, colon and prostate cancer.” 

http://www.naturalnews.com/023340_breast_cancer_Marijuana.html#ixzz29PViQxfy

Can Cannabidiol (CBD) Fight Metastatic Cancer? According to the latest research the answer is yes. Important news for Medical Marijuana, Inc.’s new line of high concentrate CBD health and wellness products. – CNBC

 “…scientists at California Pacific Medical Center who have been researching marijuana’s compounds for the 20 years have found that Cannabidiol, or CBD, has the ability to “turn off” the DNA that causes “breast and other types of cancers” to metastasize. CBD is the second-most abundant cannabinoid within marijuana, but does not cause the psychotropic high of THC.”

 “We started by researching breast cancer,” said scientist Pierre Desprez. “But now we’ve found that Cannabidiol works with many kinds of aggressive cancers–brain, prostate–any kind in which these high levels of ID-1 are present.” Desprez said he is hopeful clinical trials will begin immediately. He currently has grant funding through the National Institutes of Health, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the U.S. Department of Defense and the California Breast Cancer Research Program.”

http://www.cnbc.com/id/49117540/Can_Cannabidiol_CBD_Fight_Metastatic_Cancer_According_to_the_latest_research_the_answer_is_yes_Important_news_for_Medical_Marijuana_Inc_s_new_line_of_high_concentrate_CBD_health_and_wellness_products

Cannabis compound ‘halts cancer’

“A compound found in cannabis may stop breast cancer spreading throughout the body, US scientists believe.

The California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute team are hopeful that cannabidiol or CBD could be a non-toxic alternative to chemotherapy.

Unlike cannabis, CBD does not have any psychoactive properties so its use would not violate laws, Molecular Cancer Therapeutics reports.

CBD works by blocking the activity of a gene called Id-1 which is believed to be responsible for the aggressive spread of cancer cells away from the original tumour site – a process called metastasis.

This compound offers the hope of a non-toxic therapy that could achieve the same results without any of the painful side effects.”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7098340.stm

Cannabis plant extract ‘could stop aggressive cancers from spreading’

“A compound found in cannabis could halt the spread of many forms of aggressive cancer, scientists say.

Researchers found that the compound, called cannabidiol, had the ability to ‘switch off’ the gene responsible for metastasis in an aggressive form of breast cancer. Importantly, this substance does not produce the psychoactive properties of the cannabis plant.”

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2206056/Cannabis-compound-stop-breast-cancer-spreading.html#ixzz29PKHhfoL
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Marijuana May Fight Cancer Better Than Chemo, So Why Is It Still ‘Wrong’?

Cristina Sanchez found that aggressive brain cancer cells died every time they were exposed to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana — and other “cannabinoids.”

Believe it or not … This happened back in 1998. And ever since, mounting evidence all over the globe has concurred that marijuana shows major promise for slowing cancer growth — even going so far as to directly attack tumors — as well as manage many cancer symptoms (nausea, pain, loss of appetite, fatigue). ”

http://thestir.cafemom.com/healthy_living/143155/marijuana_may_fight_cancer_better