Study: three times greater chance of cancer survival in CBD-treated mice

Cannabis is sometimes prescribed as a palliative treatment for cancer and to alleviate the side effects of treatment in countries where its medical use is legal. A study published in Nature indicates that the effects of cannabis on cancer are not just palliative, but could make a real difference.

Three times greater chance of survival

The study, a study on mice, focuses on pancreatic cancer. Real name pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC, or pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in French), this form of cancer is one of the most widespread in wealthy countries, and the most difficult to treat: over the last forty years, the situation has changed little or not at all, and the five-year survival rate is around 5%.

In particular, by applying chemotherapy to affected mice, then administering cannabidiol (CBD) only some of them, the researchers found that mice treated with CBD had a survival rate three times higher than those not treated. It's hard to know to what extent this is due to palliative or curative effects, but according to the study, CBD clearly improves the situation of cancerous mice.

CBD against cancer

A number of studies have already demonstrated the usefulness of CBD as a palliative treatment for cancer, but the research is new when it comes to cannabidiol's ability to actually fight cancer. Visit 2013 for the first time, researchers were investigating the anti-carcinogenic and anti-tumour properties of CBD. Recently, scientists discovered that CBD induces cell death in cancer cells of the breast, but also the endometrium, in addition to other anti-tumor properties recognized by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. cancer (which, however, does not limit treatments to CBD, but also to THC).

However, in many states or countries, CBD is still frowned upon as derived from cannabis, and is not necessarily accessible as a treatment. More scientific data is needed through research to eventually develop CBD as an anti-carcinogen if it proves to be effective.