Marijuana prevents breast cancer metastasis?

heartnsoul76

Marijuana prevents breast cancer metastasis?

heartnsoul76

My favorite doctor prescribed Dronabinol, a marijuana-based anti-nausea drug to see if it made any difference during the chemo. My son got curious about medicinal marijuana and looked it up on Wikipedia. Look at this:

According to a 2007 study at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, cannabidiol (CBD) may stop breast cancer from spreading throughout the body. These researchers believe their discovery may provide a non-toxic alternative to chemotherapy while achieving the same results minus the painful and unpleasant side effects. The research team says that CBD works by blocking the activity of a gene called Id-1, which is believed to be responsible for a process called metastasis, which is the aggressive spread of cancer cells away from the original tumor site.

Ummm....kind of important, don't cha think? It also talks about how it prevents/helps other types of cancers, too.

Medical cannabis 

Anonymous

It's about time the conventional (and toxic) treatments are reviewed and if needed, revised.  It is already known that marijuana can ease chemo side effects better than the prescribed meds.  thank you for posting this important info. 

apple

i'd gladly exchange dope for chemo.

ah, the music i could listen to.

Member_of_the_Club

Its been linked to lung cancer, at least smoking it.  It poses a greater risk than cigarettes.  I've never heard of this research facility and I think you need to be awfully skeptical. 

susan_CNY

would be nice if this is true, thinking the governor of NY could really get off on taxing it! My oncologist gave me his blessing to do whatever it took to get me through cancer treatment, and pot really does help with side effects, just not good for the pharm. companies I will never understand why people are so willing to take a Rx of who knows what but to take a few puffs might give them lung cancer in 30 years.

Janeluvsdogs

Inhaling vaporized cannabis (hemp) oil with a high cannabidiol content is one of the preferred methods. According to the cannabis researchers, cannabidiol has been bred out of most cannabis in favor of developing high THC varieties for psychgenic puposes.

Since the breast cancer connection has been discovered, more cannabis farmers are now developing the high cannabidiol varieties. The dispensaries around Northern California have their products certified for cannabidiol content by a state regulating agency. There is a famous San Francisco oncologist who has done a lot of research on this subject for years.

Thankfully, some states have made medical marijuana legal!

Nordy

This is quite the can of worms... so to speak. I understand that marijua may relieve some symptoms from chemo... but I have to tell you that my sister has smoked pot for years - and she has the short term memory capacity of a senile 95 year old. She lives in a state where medical marijuana is legal and is working toward getting her license to be a supplier - so she can be her own best customer. The effects on short term memory and decreased learning capacity with prolonged marijuana use are well documented. My sister isn't the only one that I observe this in... my nephew, my drummer, my friends... and the list goes on. Never mind too, the negative effect that smoking it has on healing. Do I think it should be legalized? Sure, so that the government can tax the crap out of it and put an end to the drug wars. Would I use it even if it was legal? Not a chance in H*ll.

heartnsoul76

Here's some more information on the center that conducted one of the studies cited:

California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) is one of the largest private, non-profit, academicmedical centers in Northern California. The Medical Center is a combination of four of San Francisco's oldest medical institutions: Pacific Presbyterian Hospital, Children's Hospital of San Francisco and Davies Medical Center, now known as the Pacific Campus, the California Campus, Davies Campus, and St. Luke's Campus. St. Luke's, the most recent addition to California Pacific Medical Center, officially merged with CPMC in January 2007.

The danger of lung cancer or COPD is for people who smoke cigarettes in addition to pot. Marijuana alone has shown in studies that it protects against lung cancer, as well as other types of cancer due to the protective qualities of THC.

"One of the principal constituents of cannabis, THC, has been found to reduce tumor growth in common lung cancer by 50 percent and to significantly reduce the ability of the cancer to spread, say researchers at Harvard University... "

It's all at this link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_cannabis 

Cancer patients should have all options open to them. Dope for chemo - certainly isn't any more toxic than what we're getting now! 

Nordy

Okay, so I probably seemed a bit harsh... well, I am certain I am because I have seen this drug have devastating effects on my sister's life... and her son's... and so many others. But I do have a question - if the drug is used in a different form - for example pill form as heartnsoul was prescribed - does it change the negative effects (memory loss, decreased capacity to learn, prolonged healing times) that occur when smoking it? Or do they stay the same? Inquiring minds want to know.

heartnsoul76

Hi Nordy! I can understand your feelings after what you saw happen to your sister. As far as what's possible with marijuana in a lab, I think they can remove the THC - which provides the psychoactive effect of marijuana - and just isolate the beneficial ingredients. The pill I have just works for nausea - I don't know what form it would have to be in to provide all the cancer benefits, but I doubt if we would have to sit somewhere with our veins hard-wired in to who knows what for hours on end!

At any rate, it sure does sound like it's worth a little more research, especially if it can help prevent metastasis! Of course, the government gets in the way...or is it the drug companies? 

susan_CNY

thanks for the info, isn't it strange that chemo takes your memory also? I have experienced both chemo brain and a pot head, chemo sucks, that I will always remember. My sis died of complications from Multiple Sclerosis, another disease that marijuana helps relieve many of the bad symptoms., all the docs would give her was steroids!, the we don't know how to fix you so take this medicine, was very sad.

Member_of_the_Club

I'm all for options and favor legalization but as with all things, there is no magic bullet here.  Marijuana, like all drugs, has powerful side effects, some known and some not.  

Janeluvsdogs

I see all the major drug companies have patents on marijuana ready to go as soon as it is reclassified as a different "schedule" drug.

Funny how marijuana has been around for 3,000 years and is one of the most studied drugs. It's just a matter of a few years until people get reeducated.

crazy4carrots

Can you imagine aliens from another universe visiting planet earth and wondering "Why oh why do north Americans legalize booze and tobacco, but not cannabis?"

FireKracker

I WILL TAKE THIS OVER CHEMO IN A HEARTBEAT.

VJSL8

Most of the studies about long-term effects of smoking pot (ie. COPD and withdrawals), are for heavy users--individuals that smoke 75 or more joints per week for over 20 years. Most users don't come close to using this amount. I smoked pot during my first cancer treatment 23 years--at that time there were no anti-nausa drugs and it was the only thing that helped me. I've been recently diagnosed again (surgery is 9-15 at UCLA) and if I need to have chemo again--I will be using pot again--but this time, making cookies instead of smoking it.

Janeluvsdogs

Cannabis Stops the Spread of Breast Cancer Tumours

June 18th, 2010 | Deprez article

A non-psychoactive chemical that occurs naturally in the cannabis 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. In embryos, Id-1 is responsible for helping cells grow and spread, but is supposed to remain inactive in adults. In human adults, it is found only in metastatic cancer cells, or cancer cells that are spreading throughout the body. "When [the Id-1 genes] wake up, they are very bad," said senior researcher Pierre Yves-Desprez. "They push the cells to behave like embryonic cells and grow. They go crazy, they proliferate, they migrate."

According to Desprez, shutting off the activity of Id-1 can make cancer far less lethal. Tumours, Desprez says, can be "removed easily by surgery," but if the cancer is spreading then the disease becomes much more difficult to contain. "[Id-1 is like] an [orchestra] conductor," Desprez said. "If you shoot the violinist, the orchestra just continues to play.""In this case, you shoot the conductor, and the whole orchestra is going to stop," he said.

heartnsoul76

Oh, yeah...I want to shoot the conductor! Thanks for the article, Janeluvsdogs!

"I see all the major drug companies have patents on marijuana ready to go as soon as it is reclassified as a different "schedule" drug."

I guess certain aspects of marijuana have been reclassified, like the stuff I got for nausea. Did you happen to get an idea about maybe the CBD part being reclassified? (I think it is reclassified already in Canada) hmmm....imagine all the cancer patients moving to California if the FDA doesn't get it's butt in gear. That would certainly help with their financial problems!

MrsNice

just don't bogart that joint, my friends 

MrsNice

The Feds are still making it difficult for Cali growers.  And San Diego's district atty wastes a ton of city money busting small-time growers and users and making herself quite unpopular.

Now don't get me wrong - I know that habitual use can lead to a dumbed-down brain, etc., and I'm not advocating that at all.  And the "gateway drug" concept is a real problem.  However, for medicinal purposes, the toxicity comparison to some of the other prescriptions we take does not even fly with me.  If it's legal and taxed like cigarettes and alcohol, I'm all for it. 

However, I have teenage kids and am on the fence about getting it myself, even for chemo, because of the drug awareness campaigns they go through at school, and I'd have to be real careful to clarify the message to them.  I wouldn't want to be smoking it either.

NannaBaby

Hey! Why not give pot a try!? It may be less toxic than chemo and the drugs to control the SEs! But, I do appreciate the risk of lung cancer... not sure most doctors will freely tell you to spark up for that reason.  That's my opinion anyways.  Although my oncologist says a few puffs now and then won't hurt.  He gave me Nabilone to try.  Holy JEEZZZ! that stuff is strong! I was lost in my own house and could sleep for 16+ hours!! So my onc. switched me to Marinol, and I like it.  I feel a bit baked, and happy It helps with nausea and falling asleep.

Eve1956

I have researched using pot with chemo and am sold. I have already told my Onco I want to avoid the steroids and minimize other drugs they prescribe for nausea, and will be trying pot.

It's not legal in my state for medical use so plan on getting it through a friend of a friend.  Smoking is not an option for me, since I have asthma. But I've invested in a "Volcano Vaporizer" since it is the most efficient smokeless delivery system out there. Pricey but worth it to me if it can make the next 4 months of chemo bearable. I start treatments tomorrow and will let you know how it works. 

althea

The Rick Simpson story will be of interest to anyone wanting to learn more about this use of this plant for medicinal purposes.  Rick Simpson is a man from rural Nova Scotia who learned how to make hemp oil and reversed his own serious health condition after his doctors told him to go home and update his will.  Then he helped people he knows to reverse their serious health conditions. The plant material was not consumed by smoking but by taking the oil orally and the dosing seemed rather modest according to my post-chemo memory cells.  

tooyoungtohavebc

umm I think I am on my 10th chemo and my memory is crapola! I have to write everything down and never used to have to do that. And that's just one of the horrible long term side effects I have had from all these chemos. don't get me started on my eye problems, the feet and toe isses, skin, etc. And guess what...none of these chemos have stopped my cancer. So if pot worked...I would risk the memory loss...just sayin! 

Deirdre1

I never did undestand the concern about MaryJane being used for medical purposes - Cocaine is used in the ER for any non-retractable nose bleed.. If it has a medical use it should be allowed to be used for that purpose...!  I wouldn't hesitate to get hold of the drug if I thought some relative might be more comfrotable with it!  Best, Deirdre

heartnsoul76

I just watched the Rick Simpson story - he has given up a lot to try to have hemp oil legalized for medicinal purposes. Many cures, many testimonies - still it was discounted for legitimate use, he was fined for helping cure people, and now he's on the run in Europe. I just hope the AMA gets it's act together fast for all of us here; seems they're slowly getting there:

http://www.opposingviews.com/p/ama-ends-72-year-policy-says-marijuana-has-medical-benefits

amoccia53160

Sorry I don't buy this.

lago

I heard that pot does help with nausea. Not sold on prevention.

There are ways to ingest without smoking. A friend of mine told me her boyfriend uses it for medical reasons and bought some contraption where he breaths fumes but not smoke. I'm not sure if it's boiled or what.

Seriously smoking unfiltered joint… leaves you open to lung cancer. Doubt you want to battle that too.  Not a "side effect" I would be interested in.

Eve1956

As mentioned in my previous post, vaporizers (I bought the Volcano) simply heat the pot to a certain temp that is hot enough to produce vapors but not enough to burn it. Thus it is smokeless and you are eliminating the damage the smoke and tar does to your lungs. 

Medigal

What about cookies?? Is it true you can make yummy cookies with it?  Will one still get the same healing effect if you eat it instead of smoke or breath vapors.  This would give me a GREAT excuse to eat lots of cookies and help heal myself at the same time!!   I have never smoked so that is out of the question for me unless I get someone else to smoke it and stand close by and breath their fumes.  Would that work too?   One thing I have to consider is that eating my "special" cookies would probably make my days happier while taking Arimidex!