CBD and breast cancer

A new study specific to breast cancer shows that cannabidiol (CBD) is effective in treating tumors.

Breast cancer

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women. It is a serious and widespread form of cancer, with 1 in 8 women developing it in their lifetime. As with all cancers, in some cases the disease is resistant to conventional treatment, or the patient cannot tolerate the side effects. This is where cannabis comes in.

A promising study

Published on June 22, this study looks at CBD's antineoplastic effect, i.e. its ability to prevent the development and growth of a cluster of cells, in this case cancer cells. In several different samples, the researchers found that CBD not only inhibited tumor survival, but also induced apoptosis (cell death).

However, these results are dose-dependent. The greater the amount of CBD administered, the more striking the results. The researchers concluded their study by explaining that the results obtained «suggest CBD as an effective treatment against different subtypes of breast cancer».

CBD-based treatment has other advantages. As CBD is a non-psychoactive molecule, patients are better able to tolerate this type of treatment. A study published this year, states that «cannabis as a palliative treatment for cancer patients appears to be a well-tolerated, safe and effective option for helping patients cope with difficult symptoms».