Research Library
Oncology adjunctive care
Nausea, appetite, and comfort during cancer treatment — plus what the data does not support.
Overview
Cannabinoid research in oncology focuses on symptom relief during treatment, not on treating cancer itself.
Claims that cannabinoids cure cancer are not supported by human evidence.
What the evidence supports
- Oral cannabinoids have long-standing evidence for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
- Appetite and sleep improvements are commonly reported in observational studies.
- Interactions with chemotherapy metabolism are plausible and should be reviewed with an oncologist.
Where the evidence is thin
- Anti-tumor findings remain preclinical (cell and animal models).
- Few trials in patients receiving modern immunotherapy regimens.
Selected studies
Systematic review · 2015
Cannabinoids for nausea and vomiting in adults with cancer chemotherapy
Smith LA, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Cannabinoids were more effective than some conventional antiemetics but less tolerable.
Find this study on PubMed (opens in a new tab)Observational · 2018
Medical cannabis in oncology: prospective observational study
Bar-Lev Schleider L, et al. · European Journal of Internal Medicine
Most patients reported symptom improvement; dropout was driven by side effects and cost.
Find this study on PubMed (opens in a new tab)