Marijuana and Cannabidiol Use Prevalence and Symptom Management Among Patients with Cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Cancer patients frequently experience symptoms like pain, nausea, and anxiety, which are challenging to manage.
• Cannabis products are being explored for their potential to alleviate these cancer-related symptoms.
• Limited data exists on cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD) use prevalence in cancer patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of current cannabis use among adult cancer patients.
• To investigate the usage patterns and perceived symptom relief associated with cannabis and CBD products in this population.

Main Methods:

• A detailed, cannabis-focused questionnaire was administered to adult cancer patients at a comprehensive cancer center between 2021 and 2022.
• Participants were diagnosed with invasive cancer and received treatment within the past 12 months.
• Summary statistics were used to analyze cannabis use patterns and symptom relief.

Main Results:

• 15% of consented patients (n=142/934) reported current cannabis use (past 12 months), with 75% using it weekly.
• Among current users, 39% (n=56, 6% overall) used cannabidiol (CBD) products.
• Patients reported moderate to high symptom relief, with varied use patterns by administration route.

Conclusions:

• This study provides detailed insights into current cannabis and CBD product use among active cancer patients.
• Clinicians should be aware of patient cannabis use and its perceived benefits for symptom management.
• Future research should involve diverse populations and comprehensive assessments of cannabis product use.