Cancer – Oncological

Overview

While research is still ongoing regarding medical cannabis use for the direct treatment of cancer, we should not forget that medical cannabis may have a positive effect on the overall wellbeing of patients with oncological conditions and symptoms. 

Medical cannabis can potentially improve the quality of life of patients in a number of ways, for instance through improving sleep and appetite, reducing pain, reducing muscle spasms, and lessening anxiety.

Medical cannabis may also help to control the side effects and pain-related symptoms associated with cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy.  

In cases where traditional medicine hasn’t worked, or the side effects of conventional treatment are getting difficult to manage, medical cannabis can provide an alternative form of relief. This study, ‘The use of medical cannabis in cancer patients’, from 2017 showed that use of medical cannabis showed improvements in pain and overall quality of life, as well as a variety of other symptoms in cancer patients.

For a disease where even the treatment can be painful and difficult to manage, finding ways to manage pain and other symptoms is vital. That’s where medical cannabis can be of use.

Cancer is an incredibly common condition, with one in two people developing some form of cancer during their lifetime. Cancer is obviously highly debilitating in it’s own right, and treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy come with their own exhausting side effects. This means that finding treatment options that help to improve the quality of life of patients is vital.

What’s more, oncological experts state that patients are more likely to beat cancer if they feel happy and comfortable. Managing symptoms like pain and nausea are integral to doing just that.