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CANNABIS MAY EASE ’CHEMO BRAIN’ AND IMPROVE SLEEP
Cancer patients who used cannabis had less pain, slept better and seemed to
think more clearly.
June 17, 2023 • By University of Colorado
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Angela Bryan had been studying cancer prevention for years and had just started
studying cannabis use among cancer patients when, in 2017, her personal and
professional lives collided in a way she’d never imagined: She was diagnosed
with breast cancer. Hesitant to take opioids for post-surgical pain, she asked
her doctors what they thought about her using the herb medicinally.
“They were so supportive of what I wanted to do, but they had no idea what to
tell me,” said Bryan, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at CU Boulder.
“There was just no data.”
Fast forward six years, and a small but groundbreaking study helps to fill that
gap, showing that cancer patients who use cannabis to address their symptoms
have less pain, sleep better and experience another, unexpected, benefit: After
a few weeks of sustained use, they seem to think more clearly.
“When you’re in a lot of pain, it’s hard to think,” said Bryan, the study’s
senior author. “We found that when patients’ pain levels came down after using
cannabis for a while, their cognition got better.”
The study, published April 26 in the journal Exploration in Medicine, is among
the first to assess how cannabis bought over the counter at dispensaries—rather
than government-supplied or synthetic varieties—impacts cancer symptoms or
chemotherapy side effects.
It also sheds light on the wide variety of products cancer patients use now that
marijuana is legal in most states.
Bringing the Lab to the Patients
Surveys suggest that as many as 40% of U.S. cancer patients use cannabis, yet
only a third of doctors feel comfortable advising them about it.
Studying it is complicated, because federal law prohibits university researchers
from possessing or distributing cannabis for research unless it’s
government-issued or of pharmaceutical grade. As a result, most studies have
looked only at prescription products like nabilone or dronabinol (typically
prescribed for nausea) or government cannabis strains that tend to be less
potent and lack the variety of over-the-counter offerings.
For the study, Bryan collaborated with oncologists Dr. Ross Camidge and Dr.
Daniel Bowles at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus to observe 25 cancer patients
who used cannabis over two weeks.
After a baseline appointment in which their pain levels, sleep patterns and
cognition were assessed, they were asked to purchase the edible product of their
choosing from a dispensary. Choices were surprisingly varied, spanning 18
brands, including chocolates, gummies, tinctures, pills, and baked goods, and
contained varying ratios of THC and CBD at a wide range of potencies.
“This tells us that people are open to trying whatever they think might be
useful, but there’s just not much data out there to guide them on what works
best for what,” said Bryan.
To study acute impacts, researchers drove a “mobile laboratory” (a Dodge
Sprinter van sometimes referred to as the “cannavan”) to each patient’s home one
day. Participants underwent physical and cognitive assessments in the van, then
re-tested in the van after using cannabis in their homes.
After two weeks of sustained use at the frequency of their choice, they also had
a follow-up exam.
Within an hour, the study found, cannabis eased patient’s pain significantly
while also impairing their cognition and making them feel “high” (the higher the
THC content, the higher they felt).
But longer term, a different pattern emerged: After two weeks of sustained use,
patients reported improvements in pain, sleep quality and cognitive function.
Some objective measures of cognitive function, including reaction times, also
improved.
“We thought we might see some problems with cognitive function,” said Bryan,
noting that both cannabis and chemotherapy have been previously associated with
impaired thinking. “But people actually felt like they were thinking more
clearly. It was a surprise.”
The more people’s pain subsided, the more their cognition seemed to improve.
Notably, those who ingested more CBD, a known anti-inflammatory, reported bigger
improvements in both pain intensity and sleep quality.
While larger, controlled studies are needed before drawing conclusions, the
authors say the findings raise an intriguing possibility: While some forms and
dosages of cannabis for pain relief may impair thinking short-term, some might
improve cognition in the long run by reducing pain.
“We know oncologists and patients are concerned about the possible negative
impact of cancer treatment on cognitive function, so the potential, indirect
role of cannabis use on improving subjective cognitive function should be
studied further,” said first author Gregory Giordano, a professional research
assistant in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience.
Personal Experience
After surgery and chemotherapy, Bryan did turn to cannabis-infused edibles,
creating her own custom regimen of more potent THC-heavy products when pain was
intense and she could sacrifice some mental sharpness, and milder, CBD-heavy
products to keep the pain manageable.
She was not pain-free, but she didn’t take a single opiate during her treatment.
“I was extremely lucky because I had some knowledge about this. Most patients
don’t,” she said. “Either they don’t know it’s an option or they’ve got
well-meaning but potentially under-informed budtenders advising them.”
She hopes her team’s research, and more studies to come, will enable doctors and
patients to make better-informed decisions.
This story was published by the University of Colorado Boulder on April 27,
2022. It is republished with permission.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read More About:
* #brain fog
* #breast cancer
* #cannabis
* #CBD
* #chemo brain
* #chemotherapy
* #cognitive dysfunction
* #marijuana
* #pain
* #pain management
* #sleep
* #THC
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