Breast Cancer: Evidence Suggests Cannabis Can Slow Tumor Growth
As impressive and Sci-Fi as it may seem, it looks like there is new evidence suggesting that cannabis is able to slow down the growth of tumors.
It can do this by hindering the tumors’ ability to hijack blood vessels for their purposes, and hamper the migration of cancer cells in the body (which leads to metastasis) and hasten the death of these proliferating malign cells. Long story short, cannabis IS able to fight breast cancer.
Switching off the D-1 gene
Researchers have been documenting anti-cancer activity in cannabis since back in the ‘90s.
The massive breakthrough in breast cancer came in 2007 when Dr. Sean McAllister showed that CBD the non-toxic brother ofTHC fights most of the malignant forms of the disease by switching off the D-1 gene.
This gene is exceptionally active when we’re embryos but after we become fetuses is tops. If this gene were wake up later during our lifetime (and it does this sometimes mysteriously), the action of the gene brings malignant and invasive tumors.
Since McAllister’s report, there have been some studies that confirmed and extended the findings.
There’s a 2012 review that offers an excellent overview, and its authors have been involved in cancer research themselves.
They concluded that cannabinoids that work on the CB1 and CB2 receptors have anti-tumor activity but they don’t harm healthy tissue.
A 2014 study, which found that a cannabinoid compound named 0-1663 was more effective at combatting breast tumors and extending life (in mice) than a mixture of THC and CBD.
Closing words
And at the moment this is the state of the art of cannabinoid and breast cancer research.
Meanwhile, regarding the symptom-management solutions, Sativex, an oral spray that mixes THC and CBD, is currently in trial in the US for treating breast cancer pain in patients who are fighting the horrible disease.
I have been blogging and posting articles for over eight years, but my passion for writing dates back in 2000. I am especially enthusiastic about technology, science, and health-related issues. When I’m not researching and writing the latest news, I’m either watching sci-fi and horror movies or checking out places worth visiting and building deep memories for later in life. I believe in empathy and continually improving myself.
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