2 New Studies Discover that CBD Has Anti-Cancer Properties

A pair of new studies are reporting that cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive substance in cannabis, has anti-cancer responses in humans.

The first study found that an 81-year-old lung cancer patient who declined chemotherapy treatment had a reduced tumor size following the use of CBD oil for one month, NORML reported.

“[T]he data presented here indicate that CBD may have had a role in the striking response in a patient with histologically proven adenocarcinoma of the lung as a result of self-administration of CBD oil for a month and in the absence of any other identifiable lifestyle, drug or dietary changes,” researchers concluded. “Further work is needed both in vitro and in vivo to better evaluate the various mechanisms of action of CBD on malignant cells, and its potential application in the treatment of not only lung cancer but also other malignancies.”

The second study found that CBD in additional to a traditional anti-cancer treatment caused “significant improvement” in clinical outcomes and a lack of disease progression for two years in two 38-year-old brain cancer patients.

The study concluded, “These observations are of particular interest because the pharmacology of cannabinoids appears to be distinct from existing oncology medications and may offer a unique and possibly synergistic option for future glioma treatment”

Previous studies have also concluded that cannabis has antitumor properties.

“During the last decade, however, several studies have now shown that CB₁ and CB₂ receptor agonists can act as direct antitumor agents in a variety of aggressive cancers,” researchers noted. “Using animal models, CBD has been shown to inhibit the progression of many types of cancer including glioblastoma (GBM), breast, lung, prostate and colon cancer.”