Cannabinoids as myeloma therapy? I, along with scores of fellow MM patients and survivors have been trying to answer that question for years now. Because medical marijuana aka cannabinoids is a controversial therapy, progress has been slow.
The study linked and excerpted below is the first study that I’ve ever found that is unequivocal in its support of cannabinoids as a MM therapy.
I take a dropper full of CBD oil before bed sometimes. I do so more to help me sleep and help me manage non-cancer pain more than as an anti-MM therapy. But the study below certainly helps.
Are cannabinoids any type of therapy for multiple myeloma patients and survivors?
Potential Benefits of Cannabinoids
- Pain Relief: Multiple myeloma patients often experience significant pain due to bone damage. Cannabinoids, particularly THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), are known for their analgesic properties. Some studies suggest that cannabinoids can help alleviate chronic pain, which is a common symptom in multiple myeloma patients .
- Anti-inflammatory Effects: Cannabinoids have anti-inflammatory properties, which might help reduce inflammation associated with multiple myeloma and its treatment.
- Anti-Cancer Properties: There is some evidence from preclinical studies suggesting that cannabinoids might have anti-cancer effects. For example, cannabinoids have been shown to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells, inhibit cell proliferation, and reduce tumor growth in various cancer models. However, these effects have not been conclusively demonstrated in human studies specific to multiple myeloma .
- Symptom Management: Beyond pain relief, cannabinoids can help with other symptoms such as nausea, appetite loss, and insomnia, which are common in cancer patients undergoing treatment .
Limitations and Considerations
- Lack of Robust Clinical Evidence: While there are promising preclinical findings, robust clinical trials are lacking. Most evidence comes from studies on other types of cancer or general symptom management in cancer patients.
- Side Effects: Cannabinoids can have side effects, including dizziness, dry mouth, altered mental status, and potential dependency issues, which need to be weighed against their benefits.
- Regulatory and Legal Issues: The legal status of cannabinoids varies widely by region, which can affect their availability and use in clinical settings.
- Interaction with Other Treatments: Cannabinoids can interact with conventional cancer treatments. It’s essential for patients to discuss the use of cannabinoids with their healthcare providers to avoid adverse interactions.
man hand holding his nutritional supplemets, healthy lifestyle background.
I am in complete remission from MM. I pursue evidence-based non-conventional therapies that I believe can reduce my risk of MM relapse. These are:
- Cannabinoids-
- Anti-angiogenic nutrition-
- Anti-angiogenic supplements (curcumin, green tea, resveratrol, etc.)
- Lifestyle therapies
Based on the studies of cannabinoids as myeloma therapy thus far, I don’t believe that CBD oil will become a part of NDMM patients therapy plan anytime soon. Canabinoids as a myeloma therapy will take its place alongside other evidence-based but non-conventional, non-toxic therapies.
Meaning, don’t look for your oncologist to recommend cannabinoids to your therapy plan. I consider the study below to support my use of cannabinoids as a myeloma therapy to keep me in complete remission.
Are you a newly diagnosed myeloma patient? If you would like to learn more about evidence-based but non-conventional (not FDA approved) therapies to help you manage your incurable blood cancer email me at David.PeopleBeatingCancer@Gmail.com
Thank you,
David Emerson
- Myeloma survivor
- Myeloma Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
“Abstract- Although hematopoietic and immune system show high levels of the cannabinoid receptor CB2, the potential effect of cannabinoids on hematologic malignancies has been poorly determined. Here we have investigated their anti-tumor effect in multiple myeloma (MM).
We demonstrate that cannabinoids induce a selective apoptosis in MM cell lines and in primary plasma cells of MM patients, while sparing normal cells from healthy donors, including hematopoietic stem cells. This effect was mediated by caspase activation, mainly caspase-2, and was partially prevented by a pan-caspase inhibitor.
Their pro-apoptotic effect was correlated with an increased expression of Bax and Bak, a decrease of Bcl-xL and Mcl-1, a biphasic response of Akt/PKB and an increase in the levels of ceramide in MM cells. Inhibition of ceramide synthesis partially prevented apoptosis, indicating that these sphingolipids play a key role in the pro-apoptotic effect of cannabinoids in MM cells.
Remarkably, blockage of the CB2 receptor also inhibited cannabinoid-induced apoptosis. Cannabinoid derivative WIN-55 enhanced the anti-myeloma activity of dexamethasone and melphalan overcoming resistance to melphalan in vitro.
Finally, administration of cannabinoid WIN-55 to plasmacytoma-bearing mice significantly suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Together, our data suggest that cannabinoids may be considered as potential therapeutic agents in the treatment of MM..
What’s new?
Synthetic cannabinoids may help thwart multiple myeloma, according to new results. The hematopoietic system expresses high levels of the cannabinoid receptor CB2, but it is not known whether cannabinoids can be used to hinder hematologic cancers.
In this study, the authors demonstrated that cannabinoids induced apoptosis in multiple myeloma cell lines without harming normal cells, including hematopoietic stem cells.
They explored the mechanisms behind this apoptosis boost, showing that caspase activation and ceramide accumulation both play a role. When they treated mice with a cannabinoid compound, they successfully stifled plasmacytoma growth.
Thus, cannabinoids could prove a useful therapy for multiple myeloma…”
