Study: Cannabis Spray Provides Pain Relief In Terminally Ill Cancer Patients

Cannabis could provide relief to terminally ill patients suffering from refractory pain, a new research published in the journal PLOS One showed.

Australian researchers examined the safety and efficacy of a novel water-soluble oro-buccal nanoparticle spray of cannabis-based medicine, containing 2.5 mg of THC and 2.5 mg of CBD in patients with advanced incurable malignancy with unrelieved pain from opioids.

The scientists reported that patients diagnosed with breast and prostate cancers with bone metastases have experienced the most relief, having the highest mean pain score improvement from a baseline of 40% on ab unadjusted and 33% on an adjusted basis.

It is also important to note that no serious adverse events were reported, but some patients experienced mild drowsiness, or nausea and vomiting. 

“There was an overall improvement from baseline for global health status; physical functioning; emotional functioning; cognitive functioning; fatigue; pain; dyspnoea and insomnia,” the researchers wrote. 

“This study demonstrated that the administration of the investigative cannabis-based medicine was generally safe and tolerated in a short-term exposure in a cohort of patients with advanced incurable cancers with controlled pain or intractable pain despite opioid treatment,” the authors reported, adding that this cannabis-based medicine is of “significant clinical interest.”

The report highlighted that further research and confirmatory data from a more robust study are needed.

More On Cannabis And Cancer 

Cannabis And Cancer Pain: Israeli Study Shows Medical Marijuana Effective, Nearly 50% Of Patients Stop Traditional Pain Meds 

Cannabis And Breast Cancer: Medical Marijuana Drives 6x Improvement In Killing Cancer Cells, Research Suggests 

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