Category Archives: Cancer

US Investigators Praise Cannabinoids As Chemo Treatment

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“Cannabinoids inhibit cancer cell proliferation and should be clinically tested as chemotherapeutic agents, according to a review published in the January issue of the journal Cancer Research.

Investigators at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health reported that the administration of cannabinoids halts the spread of a wide range of cancers, including brain cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, skin cancer, pancreatic cancer, and lymphoma.

Researchers suggested that cannabinoids may offer significant advantages over standard chemotherapy treatments because the compounds are both non-toxic and can uniquely target malignant cells while ignoring healthy ones.

“Cannabinoids … offer potential applications as anti-tumor drugs, based on the ability of some members of this class to limit inflammation, cell proliferation, and cell survival,” authors concluded. “[T]here is overwhelming evidence to suggest that cannabinoids can be explored as chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer.””

Read more: http://norml.org/news/2008/01/31/us-investigators-praise-cannabinoids-as-chemo-treatment

Cannabinoids Induce Apoptosis of Pancreatic Tumor Cells

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 “Pancreatic adenocarcinomas are among the most malignant forms of cancer and, therefore, it is of especial interest to set new strategies aimed at improving the prognostic of this deadly disease. The present study was undertaken to investigate the action of cannabinoids, a new family of potential antitumoral agents, in pancreatic cancer. We show that cannabinoid receptors are expressed in human pancreatic tumor cell lines …

 Cannabinoids… reduced the growth of tumor cells in two animal models of pancreatic cancer. In addition, cannabinoid treatment inhibited the spreading of pancreatic tumor cells. Moreover, cannabinoid administration selectively increased apoptosis and TRB3 expression in pancreatic tumor cells but not in normal tissue… results presented here show that cannabinoids lead to apoptosis of pancreatic tumor cells via a CB2 receptor and de novo synthesized ceramide-dependent up-regulation of p8 and the endoplasmic reticulum stress–related genes ATF-4 and TRB3.

 These findings may contribute to set the basis for a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

In conclusion, results presented here show that cannabinoids exert a remarkable antitumoral effect on pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo…

 These findings may help to set the basis for a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of this deadly disease.”

http://www.420magazine.com/forums/pancreatic-cancer/145013-cannabinoids-induce-apoptosis-pancreatic-tumor-cells.html

 

“Cannabinoids Induce Apoptosis of Pancreatic Tumor Cells via Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress–Related Genes“

 

Full text: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/66/13/6748.long

Adjunctive nabilone in cancer pain and symptom management: a prospective observational study using propensity scoring.

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“A prospective observational study assessed the effectiveness of adjuvant nabilone (Cesamet) therapy in managing pain and symptoms experienced by advanced cancer patients… When compared with those not taking nabilone, patients using this cannabinoid had a lower rate of starting nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, tricyclic antidepressants, gabapentin, dexamethasone, metoclopramide, and ondansetron and a greater tendency to discontinue these drugs.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18402303

Experience with the synthetic cannabinoid nabilone in chronic noncancer pain.

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“Chronic noncancer pain includes a heterogeneous group of disorders and is often refractory to treatment. Cannabis products have historically been used for chronic pain and are attracting renewed pharmaceutical interest. Nabilone is a synthetic cannabinoid licensed in Canada for the treatment of severe nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy. We have used nabilone off-label for the treatment of chronic noncancer pain since 1999. In this article, we review our clinical experience of 20 adult patients with chronic noncancer pain who had been treated with nabilone and followed up for an average of 1.5 years. Prior to nabilone therapy, patients had used a wide range of therapies, including 11 who had used cannabis. Fifteen patients reported subjective overall improvement with nabilone, and nine reported reduced pain intensity. Beneficial effects on sleep and nausea were the main reasons for continuing use. Intolerable side effects were experienced in three patients (palpitations, urinary retention, dry mouth). Nabilone may be a useful addition to pain management and should be further evaluated in randomized controlled trials.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16533193

Nabilone for the treatment of paraneoplastic night sweats: a report of four cases.

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“Night sweats are one of many symptoms experienced by patients with advanced cancer. Persistent night sweats tend to decrease quality of life through interference with sleep… night sweats represent one of the symptoms that displays a tendency not to improve as patients with advanced cancer approach end of life…

This paper serves to report on the successful management of four patients suffering from persistent paraneoplastic night sweats using the synthetic orally administered cannabinoid nabilone…”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18715188

Latest advances in cannabinoid receptor agonists.

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“Since the discovery of cannabinoid receptors and their endogenous ligands in early 1990s, the endocannabinoid system has been shown to play a vital role in several pathophysiological processes. It has been targeted for the treatment of several diseases including neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease and MS), cancer, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathic and inflammatory pain. The last decade has witnessed remarkable advances in the development of cannabinergic ligands displaying high selectivity and potency towards two subtypes of cannabinoid receptors, namely CB1 and CB2.”

 “…we highlight the latest advances made in the development of cannabinoid agonists and summarize recently disclosed, novel chemical scaffolds as CB-selective agonists…”

 

“CONCLUSIONS:

Our analysis reveals prolific patenting activity mainly in the CB2 selective agonist area. Limiting the BBB penetrability, thereby, leading to peripherally restricted CB1/CB2 agonists and enhancing CB2-selectivity emerge as likely prerequisites for avoidance of adverse central CB1 mediated side effects.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19939187

Cannabis linked to ‘prostate cancer cure’

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“Cannabis helps combat prostate cancer, scientists revealed yesterday.

But patients were warned not to use the drug even though active chemicals halted the spread of the disease.

Cannabis also helped reduce the size of tumours when tested on mice, according to researchers at Spain’s University of Alcala.

But Cancer Research UK’s Dr Lesley Walker said: “This opens a new avenue to explore potential drug targets but it is at a very early stage – it absolutely isn’t the case that men might be able to fight prostate cancer by smoking cannabis.

“Research suggests that prostate cancer cells might stop growing if they are treated with chemicals found in cannabis but more work needs to be done to explore the potential of these cannabinoids in treatment.”

Prostate cancer affects more than 35,000 UK men each year and kills around 10,000.”

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cannabis-linked-to-prostate-cancer-cure-413459

Cannabis blunts prostate cancer threat: study – ABC News

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“Chemicals in cannabis have been found to stop prostate cancer cells from growing in the laboratory, suggesting marijuana-based medicines could one day help fight the disease, scientists said.

After working initially with human cancer cell lines, Ines Diaz-Laviada and colleagues from the University of Alcala in Madrid also tested one compound on mice and discovered it produced a significant reduction in tumour growth.

Their research, published in the British Journal of Cancer, underlines the growing interest in the medical use of active chemicals called cannabinoids, which are found in marijuana.”

Read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2009-08-19/cannabis-blunts-prostate-cancer-threat-study/1396346

Cannabis Chemicals Stop Prostate Cancer Growth

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“ACTIVE chemicals in cannabis have been shown to halt prostate cancer cell growth according to research published in the British Journal of Cancer.

Researchers from the University of Alcala, in Madrid tested the effects of the active chemicals in cannabis called cannabinoids on three human prostate cancer cell lines – called PC-3, DU-a45 and LNCaP.

The prostate cancer cells carry molecular ‘garages’- called receptors- in which cannabinoids can ‘park’.

The scientists showed for the first time that if cannabinoids ‘park’ on a receptor called CB2, the cancer cells stop multipyling.

Dr Walker added: “This research suggest that prostate cancer cells might stop growing if they are treated with chemicals found in cannabis but more work needs to be done to explore the potential of the cannabinoids in treatment.”

To confirm the findings the scientists switched off the CB2 receptors – or ‘closed the garage doors’- on the prostate cells. When cannabinoids were then added to cells without the CB2 receptor, the prostate cancer cells carried on dividing and growing. This suggests that cannabinoids connect with the CB2 receptors on prostate cancer cells to stop cell division and spread.

Professor Ines Diaz-Laviada, study author at the University of Alcala said: “Our research shows that there are areas on prostate cancer cells which can recognise and talk to chemicals found in cannabis called cannabinoids. These chemicals can stop the division and growth of prostate cancer cells and could become a target for new research into potential drugs to treat prostate cancer.”

Read more: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/161628.php