An extensive study looking at the ability of different cannabinoids to inhibit reproduction of numerous types of cancer cells was carried out in 2006 by a team of researchers in Italy. The chart below lists the IC50 values of several cannabinoids. In this case, IC50 indicates the quantity of cannabinoids needed to reduce reproduction of cancer cells by 50%, so lower numbers mean greater potency. Columns where the value is >25 means that the maximum concentration tested was not capable of inhibiting proliferation by 50%. Ultimately, the only important thing to know here is that lower numbers reflect improved efficiency.

The types of cancer cells tested against were breast, glioma, prostate, thyroid, colorectal, another type of breast, leukemia, and gastric. In most cases here, THCA was actually a stronger inhibitor of proliferation than THC, as indicated by lower IC50 values in most columns. However, for colon and gastric cancer cells, THC was stronger. The overall point here is that THCA appears quite effective, yet despite this study being conducted so long though, there still hasn’t been much further exploration of THCA.
 

 
Interestingly, CBDA was shown to be the weakest cannabinoid, as nearly all columns show the maximum tested amount did not inhibit proliferation by 50%. However, later studies have pointed to particular potential for CBDA against breast cancer. In 2020, Japanese researchers with Hiroshima International University showed the extensive mechanisms by which CBDA could inhibit expression of the COX-2 enzyme in breast cancer cells, a positive effect given that increased expression is linked with malignancy.
 

 
Earlier in 2012, other Japanese researchers with Daiichi University of Pharmacy showed that CBDA could mitigate breast cancer cell migration, and thus potentially limit metastasis. They concluded, “CBDA offers potential therapeutic modality in the abrogation of cancer cell migration, including aggressive breast cancers.

 
There is also emerging research on the “mother cannabinoid”, CBGA, from which all other cannabinoids are produced by enzymatic transformation. Researchers with Wroclaw Medical University and Nicolaus Copernicus University in Poland showed that increasing concentrations of CBGA over 48 hours led to progressively lower numbers of live colon cancer cells. This is consistent with the general observation of dose-dependent effects of cannabinoids.
 

 
While this is promising, there is far less human evidence of acidic cannabinoids working in humans. However, I was actually inspired to make this video because of a fascinating report by Peter Vermeul, who photographically documented remission of a basal cell carcinoma on his forearm using a topical THCA/CBDA extract externally and 9 drops per day of a CBDA-dominant extract internally. Peter founded a CBD company in Spain where he produces acidic cannabinoid-dominant products, and has shared a lot of incredible information on LinkedIn, where I found him.
 
 
 
Peter also shared information about a patient he worked with who had prostate cancer. His post is below:
 

 
As always, we need more research, especially in the area of raw cannabis. However, for individuals who are not getting the results they want with THC/CBD products, it may be worth exploring acidic cannabinoids.

The post Anticancer Properties of Acidic Cannabinoids + Raw Cannabis | Research and Human Cases appeared first on The Cannabis for Cancer Declaration.

One of the earliest studies to examine cannabinoids against breast cancer was in 2010, when Spanish researchers showed THC could combat the HER2+ type (also known as ErbB2). In animals, THC caused cell death (known as apoptosis), reduced the growth of blood vessels to tumors, and decreased spread to lungs. In the chart here, THC was compared with the control group as well a synthetic cannabinoid called JWH-133, which activates the CB2 cannabinoid receptor in a similar way as THC. As demonstrated, mice in both cannabinoid groups had significantly smaller tumor volume. Also notably, whereas 41% of the control group had 4 or more tumors, 0% of cannabinoid-treated animals had that many.
 

The other major cannabinoid, CBD, has also demonstrates activity against breast cancer cells, with a 2011 study indicating it could induce apoptosis in 4 different cell lines, two being estrogen receptor-positive and the others being estrogen receptor-negative. In agreement with other studies, the experiments here pointed to the dose-dependent nature of CBD, with higher doses leading to more cancer cell death.

Another important CBD study was conducted in 2011 by Dr. Sean McAllister of California Pacific Medical Center, where he demonstrated CBD could reduce tumor volume in animals. Part of CBD’s mechanism was downregulating a gene called ID-1, which is involved in tumor growth. As the charts demonstrate, CBD treatment resulted in lower primary tumor volume and weight, reduced number of lung metastases, and less volume in the metastatic regions.

A particularly extensive study was carried out in 2018 by noted researchers Cristina Sanchez and Manuel Guzman’s team in Spain. The goal was to determine if a whole-plant cannabis extract, known as the cannabis drug preparation (CDP), was superior to isolated cannabinoids. The role of terpenes were also examined, as well as which types of breast cancer the cannabinoids were effective against. The main findings were:

• THC and the CDP effectively reduced viability, or number of living cells, of three breast cancer types – ER+/PR+ (T47D cells), HER2+ (HCC1954), and Triple-negative (MDA-MB-231 and SUM159) cells

• The top 5 terpenes in the CDP were not responsible for the extracts’ enhanced efficacy, pointing to the importance of lesser terpenes, other cannabinoids, or other compounds entirely

• The CDP worked by itself and synergized with various chemotherapeutic agents in three different animal experiments

Interestingly, for the ER+/PR+ and HER2+ cells, the CDP was superior to THC at each dose. However, for the triple-negative cells, the highest doses tested of THC and the CDP had essentially equivalent efficacy. More importantly, the animal studies all showed the CDP was vastly superior to THC alone, and that it generally worked together with chemotherapy to enhance efficacy.

Each mouse study conducted was similar, with an inactive vehicle (white), THC alone (green), the CDP alone (blue), a chemotherapy drug (orange), and the chemotherapy drug combined with the CDP (red). This first chart is for ER+/PR+ generated tumors, and the drug used was tamoxifen. In this case, THC was little more effective than the vehicle, while the CDP was essentially equivalent to tamoxifen. The combination of both was most effective.

The HER2+ mouse study was quite similar, although in this case, the CDP, chemotherapy, and combination efficacies were all very similar. Again, THC alone didn’t do much.

Finally, with the triple-negative mouse study, the chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy + CDP combination was significantly better than the CDP alone.

While results can’t be directly extrapolated to humans, this and other evidence strongly favors the superiority of whole-plant cannabis extracts over isolates.

Several patients have reported experiencing anticancer effects from high doses of cannabinoids. Kat Kytle was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic triple-negative breast cancer around August 2014, with a prognosis of 18 months to 2 years given the cancer’s extent. She declined chemotherapy and used CBD and THC in numerous forms, including topically, infused oils, and a suppository extract. These treatments alone controlled the cancer for a time. It is unclear if Kate stopped using cannabis at some point, but in any case, she was then diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer in July 2015. At this point, antibody therapy drugs were added to her protocol, and the tumors were nearly eliminated.
 

Tammy Levent is a Florida resident whose cancer battle was covered by a local affiliate of NBC. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2015, and after a lumpectomy removed some of the cancer, she refused further conventional treatment. She then began using apparently THC-rich extract, and in 2016 was cancer free. Lisa Genovese, a nurse on Tammy’s medical team, stated “When I looked at Tammy’s blood work the tumor markers were all zero – and I couldn’t explain it.” Her physician, Dr. Eduardo Palanca, voiced support for more study into the anticancer effects of cannabis, and noted that existing preclinical research already supports THC’s potential.
 

At the 11th National Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics in May 2017, Dr. Sean McAllister, who conducted the CBD/ID-1 gene study mentioned earlier in this video, discussed his research and shared a fascinating patient case that had been sent to him. The patient used THC and CBD alongside chemotherapy to achieve dramatic reduction of metastatic breast cancer in just 4 months. As the images show, the regression is quite striking and was apparently unexpected with chemotherapy alone. As of this video’s production it is now 2025, and I am less than a week away from attending the 16th incarnation of this same conference.
 

Lin Coxon, a resident of Derbyshire, England, was diagnosed with breast cancer on June 28, 2017. She had a 33mm breast tumor and metastasis to lymph nodes. While awaiting chemotherapy, scheduled in August, she began taking CBD oil to see it would help. By July 24, she could no longer feel the tumor, leading her to get another scan. This revealed the tumor had shrunk to 11mm, and the lymph node metastasis had also decreased tremendously. She then deferred chemotherapy, and using just CBD, beat back the cancer.
In 2020, a smaller amount of cancer returned. Lin tried chemotherapy this time, but couldn’t tolerate it and barely used any. She also had surgery, where a small 1mm nodule of cancer was removed from her breast, along with 5 lymph nodes, of which only 1 was cancerous. Overall, these treatments combined with CBD oil beat the cancer yet again, and as of 2022 Lin was completely cancer free.
 

A report from the Oklahoma station News9 shared Rhonda Gossett’s story of fighting cancer with conventional therapies and cannabis. She initially used just conventional therapies and surgery for metastatic breast cancer, which were successful and kept it at bay for several years. After it returned more aggressively, and conventional therapies were ineffective, Rhonda was told nothing more could be done. At this point, she went to Colorado to use THC oil. Rhonda said she started feeling better soon after starting it, and within a few weeks, scans were showing reductions in her brain metastases. The therapy successfully eliminated the cancer, apparently on its own, within 2 years.
 

Sharon Letts, an accomplished cannabis journalist, was diagnosed with lobular carcinoma breast cancer in 2012. She started on THC extract shortly after diagnosis, which quickly led to symptomatic relief including better sleep. After two and a half months, Sharon was cancer free, having not used any surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. As of 2025, she is still doing very well. Sharon has had quite a remarkable life, and the picture here shows her with actor and current cannabis farmer Jim Belushi.
 

As the science and human cases demonstrate, cannabis shows immense potential for treating breast cancer. Patients deserve access to cannabis medicines now, and research is more than warranted to prove efficacy at the scale needed to make cannabis a formal anticancer treatment.

The post How Cannabinoids May Help Treat Breast Cancer | Research and Human Cases | Cannabis For Cancer appeared first on The Cannabis for Cancer Declaration.

A 2010 study by German researchers showed that CBD could reduce invasion of both cervical cancer and lung cancer cell lines. The anti-invasive effects were mediated by the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, as well as another receptor called TRPV1. Since invasion and subsequent metastasis is usually the most dangerous element of cancer development, this property of CBD is quite important.

In addition to inhibiting invasion, research also shows CBD can directly kill cervical cancer cells. A 2016 study by researchers with North-west University in South Africa showed CBD induced a form of programmed cell death called apoptosis. This was also a rare instance where CBD alone was more effective than a whole-plant extract, although overall research tends to suggest that in humans, whole extracts with the full range of cannabinoids and terpenes are more effective.

In 2023, researchers with a different South African school, University of Johannesburg, showed that CBD could work together with a conventional treatment called photodynamic therapy to cause apoptosis in cervical cancer cells. After treating cells with both therapies, only 13% remained viable, with 7% in early apoptosis and 64% in a late stage of the process. In addition to cell death, researchers stated the combined treatment could limit cervical cancer spread.

THC has also been shown to reduce invasion of cervical cancer, with a 2008 study finding that this cannabinoid along with a stable version of the endocannabinoid anandamide decreased cell invasion.

As the previous study indicated, our own endocannabinoids appear to play a role in cervical cancer suppression. This is supported by a 2004 study from the University Hospital in Switzerland, where anandamide induced apoptosis in three different types of cervical cancer cells. In the graph here, the top line with square boxes are healthy cells, and the other three lines are cancer cells. The fact that anandamide is effective makes it at least a little more likely that plant-derived cannabinoids would work in humans.

A woman named Shona Leigh had her story shared on the Australian news website The Courier Mail. She was diagnosed with Stage II cervical cancer in October 2013, and decided to try apparently THC-rich cannabis extract as the only treatment. Shona monitored her progress every six weeks, and by September 2014 had clean test results. She then ceased cannabis use, but four months later, large lumps appeared in her breast. It’s unclear whether this was cancer or not; however, Shona re-started using a cannabis-infused coconut oil, and within 2 weeks, the lumps were gone.

More extensive research is needed for how cannabinoids can help cervical cancer patients. One day, cannabis may be recommended by physicians alongside conventional cancer treatments as a mainstream integrative option.

The post How Cannabinoids May Help Treat Cervical Cancer | Research and Human Cases | Cannabis For Cancer appeared first on The Cannabis for Cancer Declaration.

One of the earliest studies on the anticancer effects of cannabinoids was in 1999, when researchers in Spain showed THC could induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in human prostate cancer cells. Interestingly, while THC activates CB1 and CB2 receptors, these were not shown to play a role in THC’s effects.

CBD has also been shown to induce apoptosis in prostate cancer cells. Quite interestingly, unlike THC, one study showed CBD’s ability to kill prostate cancer cells was dependent on interactions with CB1 and CB2 receptors.
 

 
A 2013 study by the prolific Italian cannabis researchers Luciano De Petrocellis and Vincenzo Di Marzo tested a wide variety of cannabinoids in two types of prostate cancer cells, androgen receptor-positive and negative. In addition to isolated cannabinoids, researchers tested “botanical drug substances” (BDS), which are whole-plant extracts.

The following charts list the IC50 values of many cannabinoids and extracts. There’s a lot going on in these charts, so some explanations are necessary. IC50 is the quantity required to reduce viability (number of living cells) by 50%, so lower numbers mean greater potency. Columns where the value is >25 means that the maximum concentration tested was not capable of inhibiting viability by 50%. Column A features cells tested with serum, and column B is cells tested without serum, with the latter conditions being more effective because the serum impaired cannabinoid activity.

The key observation is that all cannabinoids and whole-plant extracts tested exerted inhibitory activities against both androgen receptor-positive and negative prostate cancer cells. In most cases, the whole-plant extracts are more potent, but not always. For example, the IC50 value of CBD is lower than the IC50 value of CBD BDS, meaning CBD alone was better. However, for CBC (cannabichromene) and several cannabinoids below, the BDS was more potent. Feel free to pause the video to review these charts further, but overall it’s just good to know that most major cannabinoids inhibit growth of two major types of prostate cancer.
 

 

 
In animals, escalating doses of the whole-plant CBD extract were shown to have greater antitumor effects, with the 100mg/kg dose having virtually equivalent efficacy as 5mg/kg of the chemotherapy drug Taxotere. This is demonstrated by the yellow and green lines below, respectively. This result is also generally in agreement with other studies showing conventional chemotherapy drugs are more potent than cannabinoids, and thus why such high doses of cannabinoids are reportedly needed to achieve anticancer effects.
 

 
In 2023, an international team of researchers, including those with the University of Brescia in Italy and University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom, showed that both CBD and cannabigerol (CBG) could induce apoptosis in in prostate cancer cells, including cells that had become resistant to treatment with the hormone therapy enzalutamide. A 1:1 ratio of both cannabinoids was shown to be an effective treatment in an animal model as well. The chart below shows that at 18 weeks, the percentage of pathological area – essentially, the amount of cancer present – is sharply reduced in the cannabinoid-treated mice compared to untreated mice.
 

 
I would now like to describe some real-life cases, including someone I worked with directly – Dennis Hill. His story became quite publicized and was even covered by Al Jazeera. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer, specifically Stage 3 adenocarcinoma, in February 2010. Here’s his original diagnosis document:
 

 
Dennis decided he wanted to avoid most conventional treatments, although he did use three injections of Lupron, an androgen antagonist that can slow cancer growth. In concert with that treatment, he ingested high doses of cannabis butter for 3 months before acquiring THC-rich extract, which he took for another 3 months. After this course, tests showed he was cancer free, as indicated by this follow-up report:
 

 
Dennis stayed healthy until 2018, when he was diagnosed with lung cancer at the age of 81. He decided he was ready to leave the world, and only used low doses of cannabis for palliative treatment, passing away on March 18, 2019. He was a truly great man, and I feel fortunate I was able to attend one of his meditation classes, where I continue to use the mantra he taught me to this day.
 

 
Another positive case was reported in the podcast Cannabis Health Radio. A man named Michael House was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic prostate cancer, having spread to his pubic bone and lymph nodes. Doctors gave him 20-24 months to live with docetaxel chemotherapy and testosterone suppression. House used these treatments combined with supplements, diet change, and 400mg of CBD per day to eventually fully eliminate the cancer. Both his and Dennis’ cases are testaments to how cannabinoids can be safely integrated with forms of conventional treatment to produce greater-than-expected responses. While more research is needed, it is clear that cannabinoids can be safely integrated with conventional treatments in a responsible manner.

The post How Cannabinoids May Help Treat Prostate Cancer | Research and Human Cases | Cannabis For Cancer appeared first on The Cannabis for Cancer Declaration.

Don’t believe cannabis can really fight cancer? Learn why it works here!

Most people readily accept that cannabis can help treat symptoms related to cancer or the side effects of conventional treatments. It is well understood that cannabis improves appetite, reduces nausea and vomiting, mitigates pain, and facilitates sleep. But there is a far greater resistance to the notion that cannabis can produce direct anticancer effects in humans.

This resistance is completely understandable, and frankly, the proper initial reaction to have. It’s bold to claim that anything not FDA-approved can fight cancer. Conventional treatments, like chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or immunotherapy, have undergone extensive double-blind, placebo-controlled trials to prove their safety and efficacy. In addition to these conventional treatments, many alternative interventions exist, including other herbs, foods, machines, or even spiritually-based treatments. When patients forego FDA-approved approaches for alternative treatments that don’t work, they may die where otherwise they would have survived. Therefore, it’s completely reasonable to be skeptical of anything outside the mainstream. However, I’m here to tell you that cannabis is special, and by the end of this video, you’ll at least agree it deserves to be researched more intensely.

Before starting, I must be clear that it is not advisable for any patient to skip conventional treatment and use cannabis instead. Despite the strength of the evidence, there is no way at this time to know who will respond to cannabis therapy. It’s not perfect and doesn’t work for everyone. Thankfully, evidence suggests cannabis can be safely integrated with conventional treatments, and potentially even make them work better. The only exception is with immunotherapy, where evidence indicates cannabis may impair its effectiveness. In patients who are using immunotherapy, the general consensus is for patients to not use cannabis, or at least use it at the lowest possible doses for symptomatic relief, unless the immunotherapy proves ineffective on its own.

Cannabis is composed of hundreds of compounds, the primary therapeutic ones being cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. These three classes of compounds have been shown to kill cancer cells in preclinical studies, although the focus of this video is on cannabinoids. The most studied plant cannabinoids, called phytocannabinoids, are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Both have been consistently demonstrated to directly kill or inhibit virtually every type of cancer cell they’ve been tested against, including brain, bone, breast, cervical, colorectal, prostate, pancreatic, liver, gastric, ovarian, and skin cancer cells, as well as rarer forms like cholangiocarcinoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and Kaposi sarcoma.

In many, but not all, of these studies, the cannabinoids have demonstrated selective action, only killing the cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone.

Beyond cells, many animal models with mice and rats have demonstrated that cannabinoids shrink experimentally-generated tumors, including these examples.

Glioma brain tumors

Bone Cancer/Osteosarcoma

Breast Cancer

Cholangiocarcinoma (i) control, (ii) 15 mg/kg THC, (iii) 30 mg/kg THC, (iv) 20 mg/kg CBN, and (v) 40 mg/kg CBN

Gastric Cancer

Liver Cancer

Lung Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer

and Melanoma

Many people would stop here and consider this all a compelling argument. However, none of this is actually all that impressive in isolation, as lots of natural compounds kill cancer cells, even selectively, and shrink tumors in animals.

The first major point that sets phytocannabinoids apart is the fact that endogenous cannabinoids, produced by all mammals and known as endocannabinoids, also kill or inhibit cancer cells through similar mechanisms as the phytocannabinoids. These endocannabinoids bind with cannabinoid receptors on the surface of cells throughout the entire body to produce physiological effects largely related to the maintenance of homeostasis, or internal balance. CB1 receptors are found primarily in the central nervous system, while CB2 receptors are predominantly in the immune system, but one or both receptor types are found in most major organs. For example, CB1 receptors in the brain help regulate neurotransmission, primarily by inhibiting excessive stimulation of neurons, while CB2 receptors help prevent inflammation from getting out of control.

Many studies demonstrate that THC and CBD kill cancer cells by activating CB1 and/or CB2 receptors, as well as other receptors like TRPV1 and PPAR-gamma. Anandamide has also been shown to kill numerous types of cancer cells in the same ways, primarily via CB1 and TRPV1 activation. Moreso, many types of cancer cells express higher levels of cannabinoid receptors than their healthy counterparts. Researchers have posited that this is a potential self-defense mechanism against cancer development – if a healthy cell becomes cancerous, it expresses more cannabinoid receptors to make itself more susceptible to the effects of anandamide, allowing itself to be killed for the good of the organism. If this is the case, it makes sense that phytocannabinoids would be quite an effective cancer treatment, since they would be tapping into an inherent cancer-defense system we already have. For example, in pancreatic cancer, researchers stated, “Cannabinoid receptors are known to be expressed in pancreatic cells, with a higher expression reported in pancreatic cancer patients. Therefore, pharmacological targeting of the endocannabinoid system might offer therapeutic benefits in pancreatic cancer”.

While clinical trials are limited, one double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with glioblastoma patients found those treated with THC and CBD, along with chemotherapy, had median survival of 21.8 months, compared to 12.1 months in the placebo group that only received chemotherapy. It is unlikely this level of life extension could be achieved only from symptom relief, and anticancer effects probably played some role.

Other preclinical evidence for conditions besides cancer has translated radically well to humans. For example, many studies with cells and animals suggested CBD could reduce seizures, including the one here. By 2017, CBD’s antiseizure effects were formally proven to work in real patients, and the pharmaceutical CBD formula Epidiolex was soon approved by the FDA and placed in Schedule V of the Controlled Substances Act, the least restrictive category. The preclinical studies mainly used chemically-driven seizures, which are far less complex than the genetic defect-associated seizures Epidiolex is prescribed for. Therefore, the preclinical evidence for CBD and epilepsy translated to humans better than the evidence indicated.

This translational success bolsters the case for preclinical cancer effects working in humans as well.

Another reasonable concern is how cannabis could possibly be effective against numerous cancer types. As noted, dozens of preclinical studies with cells and animals show that cannabinoids, not to mention terpenes and flavonoids, kill or inhibit most major cancer types. Different receptors may be targeted in disparate cancer types, including CB1, CB2, TRPV1, TRPM8, PPAR-gamma, and GPR55 receptors. The downstream effects of receptor activation generally relate to chemical signaling pathways that lead to impaired reproduction of cancer cells and cell suicide, known as apoptosis.

Real-world evidence, case studies, and media-reported human evidence are also quite compelling. There are hundreds of public cases reported on news websites, social media groups, and local affiliates of stations like ABC, CBS, NBC, BBC, and Fox. In many of these cases, THC-rich and/or CBD-rich extracts were associated with remissions from terminally-diagnosed cancers, such as Rhonda Gossett [breast cancer], Ray Jennings [squamous cell carcinoma], Cecilia von Harz [kidney cancer], Taylor Rehmeyer [brain cancer], and Joy Smith [ovarian cancer].

Case reports published in journals hosted on PubMed also show evidence of anticancer effects in humans. For example:

A case of basal cell carcinoma from Dr. Franjo Grotenhermen, treated with THC extract as the sole therapy

Lung cancer, treated with only CBD oil as the sole therapy

Squamous cell carcinoma, with reversal of a rapidly-growing tumor once topical administration of THC/CBD oil (THC 5.24% + CBD 8.02%) started.

Leukemia, treated solely with THC-rich extract after conventional therapy failed

Another squamous cell carcinoma, treated solely with CBD oil

The chance that every anticancer response is not at all due to cannabis, despite the unusually supportive scientific and logical evidence, is simply impossible. There is no doubt cannabis can fight cancer in at least some cases. However, as noted in the introduction, cannabis does not work for everyone, conventional therapy should not be skipped, and there is still so much more to learn. It’s also almost certain that some anticancer effects attributed to cannabis really were actually caused by other factors. Nonetheless, current evidence more than justifies global access to cannabis medicine for all cancer patients. We also need more research to determine optimal protocols for different cancer types, as well as the full range of benefits and potential adverse effects.

In summary:

Plant cannabinoids like THC and CBD, along with endocannabinoids like anandamide, kill cancer cells through similar mechanisms

Many cancer cells express higher levels of cannabinoid receptors than healthy counterparts, with researchers suggesting this may make them more susceptible to anticancer effects of endocannabinoids

A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial showed THC and CBD extended the lives of glioblastoma patients, suggesting a direct anticancer effect

Other preclinical evidence with cells and animals, such as CBD treating epilepsy, has translated radically well to humans

Positive reports of cannabis producing anticancer effects in humans have been reported in mainstream and social media for the past 15 years

Positive case reports have been published in peer-reviewed journals demonstrating direct anticancer effects

It is imperative that more people learn of the uniquely strong support for cannabis as a cancer treatment, so please share this video with anyone you can. If you want to see more, dozens of scientific articles and over 200 human cases are summarized at FreeCannabisCancerBook.com. The evidence speaks for itself.

To help raise awareness, please consider purchasing and reviewing the equivalent Amazon version here.

The post Cannabis Fights Cancer! The Surprisingly Strong Preclinical, Human, and Logical Evidence appeared first on The Cannabis for Cancer Declaration.

Summary Answer

Based on the evidence compiled in the PDF, it is reasonable for terminal cancer patients to consider using cannabis oil as a last-resort experimental approach — but this conclusion is rooted in preclinical studies, case reports, mechanistic evidence, and limited human data, not large-scale randomized clinical trials.

The book presents hundreds of pages of mechanistic data, animal studies, and human case reports showing that cannabinoids (THC, CBD, CBG, others) can:

• induce apoptosis in cancer cells

• inhibit tumor growth in animal models

• reduce angiogenesis, metastasis, and proliferation

• enhance effects of some chemotherapies

• sometimes shrink tumors in human case reports

These findings make consideration reasonable as an experimental, last-resort attempt, but the evidence is not equivalent to proven clinical efficacy.

1. Mechanistic and Preclinical Evidence (PDF pages throughout)

Across the early sections (pp. 4–85), the document shows:

Cannabinoids kill cancer cells through multiple mechanisms

The PDF documents repeated findings of:

• Apoptosis induction (e.g., in prostate cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, glioma)

• Ceramide accumulation & ER stress

• Inhibition of the Akt/mTOR survival pathway

• Anti-angiogenic effects (THC lowering VEGF in glioma — p. 19)

• Anti-metastatic effects (CBD reducing invasion in many cancers — pp. 26–37)

• Immune modulation, such as CBD increasing tumor cell visibility to immune cells (lung cancer — p. 57)

These effects are shown across dozens of cancer types.

Universality across cancers

The PDF includes studies showing cannabinoid activity against:

• glioblastoma

• breast cancer (ER+, HER2+, triple negative)

• colon cancer

• lung cancer

• pancreatic cancer

• melanoma

• leukemia & lymphoma

• liver cancer

• prostate cancer

• many rarer cancers (Kaposi’s sarcoma, cholangiocarcinoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, etc.)

This breadth reinforces the plausibility of systemic anticancer potential.

Conclusion from mechanistic data:
Cannabinoids consistently impair cancer cell survival across many experimental models.
This supports plausibility, but mechanistic plausibility ≠ clinical proof.

Cannabis and Cancer

2. Animal Evidence

The PDF contains numerous in vivo mouse studies, many showing:

Significant tumor reduction

Examples include:

• Glioma: THC and CBD reduce tumor growth; combination works synergistically (pp. 18–24).

• Breast cancer: THC reduces HER2+ tumor formation and growth in mice (p. 26–27).

• Pancreatic cancer: THC and CBD reduce tumor size and extend survival (pp. 61–63).

• Liver cancer: THC “almost totally blocked” tumor growth in mice (p. 51–52).

• Melanoma: THC and THC+CBD outperform temozolomide in mice (p. 73).

• Lung cancer: THC reduces metastasis and tumor volume (p. 55–57).

• Cholangiocarcinoma: THC significantly reduces tumor sizes in mice (p. 39).

This is strong evidence, but animal models often exaggerate success relative to human outcomes.

Cannabis and Cancer

3. Human Evidence in the PDF

Section 3 (“Human Case Results,” pp. 86–259) compiles dozens of patient cases where high-dose cannabis oil was associated with:

• tumor regression

• prolonged survival beyond prognosis

• improved quality of life

• slowed progression

Many cases involve terminal patients who had exhausted other options.

Important context:

These are case reports, not clinical trials

Case reports can show what is possible, but they cannot establish:

• probability of success

• predictive biomarkers

• standard dosing

• long-term comparative effectiveness

The PDF does not claim universal success and acknowledges limitations.

Cannabis and Cancer

4. Lack of Large Human Trials

The PDF clearly shows that:

• No large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) proving cannabis cures cancer exist.

• Most human data =
  case reports, small pilot trials, and compassionate-use anecdotes.

• The strongest clinical evidence is for symptom control (pain, appetite, nausea), not tumor regression.

Therefore, cannabis oil cannot be considered a proven therapy, only a plausible experimental option.

Cannabis and Cancer

5. So — Is It Reasonable for Terminal Patients to Try It?

YES — based on the evidence in the PDF, it is reasonable for terminal cancer patients to consider cannabis oil as a last-resort attempt, because:

1. It shows broad anticancer activity in preclinical models.

2. There are numerous human case reports suggesting possible benefit.

3. Safety profile is generally favorable compared to last-line chemotherapies.

4. Terminal patients often receive treatments with far less evidence and far greater toxicity.

BUT:

✘ It is NOT a proven cure.

✘ Response is highly variable.

✘ Should not replace effective therapies when those exist.

✘ Optimal dosing, ratios, and formulations remain unclear.

Thus, cannabis oil is best viewed as a biologically plausible, low-toxicity, experimental option for those with no remaining evidence-based treatments.

The post Is It Reasonable for Terminal Cancer Patients to Use Cannabis Oil as a Last Resort? appeared first on The Cannabis for Cancer Declaration.

Cannabis seed, commercially known as hemp seed, is a protein-rich food available in several forms. Anyone can order hemp seed, hemp protein powder, or hemp seed oil from online retailers or most grocery stores. In addition to protein, hemp seed contains Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and a wide variety of minerals, making it a particularly healthy food. While hemp seed has generally been consumed for overall health or muscle building, a 2021 study in the journal Food Science & Nutrition by researchers in China now points to the potential of peptides (small proteins) from hemp seed to act as anticancer agents.

The researchers first prepared hemp peptides (HP) by using enzymes to break down large hemp proteins, then used a filtration system to capture the compounds, which were freeze-dried in preparation for use. The HP treatment was applied to both human liver cancer cells and normal human liver cancer cells. The normal cells were unaffected in any way, but the liver cancer cells showed reduced viability, proliferation, and migration. Apoptosis (programmed cell death) was also only observed in the cancer cells, indicating selective cytotoxicity. The relationship between cell viability of cancer cells (Hep3B), healthy cells (L02), and concentration of HP is shown below.

Interestingly, the mechanisms by which HP caused the above effects overlap with the primary phytocannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and cannabigerol (CBG). For example, HP treatment stimulated an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), highly reactive molecules that damage structures within cancer cells. Numerous other studies have linked increased ROS generation by phytocannabinoids, mainly CBD, with cancer cell death. These include studies on CBD and breast cancer, CBG and colon cancer, CBD and leukemia, CBD and multiple myeloma, and THC and breast cancer.

Another effect of HP treatment was upregulation of a protein called Bad, which helps initiate apoptosis. Activation of this protein has also been connected with THC inducing apoptosis in leukemia cells.

It would be interesting for further studies to examine whether unprocessed hemp protein exerts anticancer effects in animals following natural digestion. Research into the impact of whole hemp seed on cancer development, with its rich array of essential fatty acids, fibers, and minerals, is also warranted. In the future, comprehensive cannabis therapy may include high doses of phytocannabinoids/terpenoids/flavonoids along with some forms of hemp protein, peptides, or seed meal. Only further research will determine what approaches are most efficacious.

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A Phase 1b Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Nabiximols Cannabinoid Oromucosal Spray with Temozolomide in Patients with Recurrent Glioblastoma

This trial by the pharmaceutical company GW Pharmaceuticals initially had details revealed in a press release in 2017, and in February 2021 was finally formally published in the British Journal of Cancer. 21 patients were randomized to receive chemotherapy and placebo or chemotherapy and phytocannabinoids in Part 2 of the study (Part 1 was an open-label structure; all patients in Part 2 were different from those participating in Part 1). The phytocannabinoid formulation was nabiximols, also known as Sativex, which is about a 1:1 formulation of THC and CBD containing 2.7mg/spray THC and 2.5mg/spray CBD. Patients started with one spray per day and worked up to a maximum of 12 sprays per day, resulting in a maximum dose of 32.4mg THC and 30mg CBD per day.

The 1-year survival analysis showed that 10 of 12 (83.3%) of patients in the nabiximols group were still alive, compared to 4 of 9 patients (44.4%) in the placebo group. At 2 years, the survival rate was 50% in the nabiximols group and 22% in the placebo group. The median overall survival was estimated to be 21.8 months in the nabiximols group and 12.1 months in the placebo group.

Weaknesses in this trial include the low number of participants and the confounding factor of two patients in the placebo group dying within the first 40 days. However, the results are still impressive and most likely demonstrate an anticancer effect of phytocannabinoids in the treatment of glioblastoma.

Spontaneous Regression of Septum Pellucidum/Forniceal Pilocytic Astrocytomas — Possible Role of Cannabis Inhalation

A 2011 article published by doctors with the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at BC Children’s Hospital in Canada was the first to link some form of cannabis intake with tumor regression. Two children with astrocytoma tumors underwent surgery to remove the tumors, although a small amount of residual tumor tissue was left in each case. After the first three years of follow-up, one tumor remained the same while the other slightly increased in size. During the second three-year surveillance period, both tumors regressed, despite the absence of conventional treatment. As the authors stated, “The tumors regressed over the same period of time that cannabis was consumed via inhalation, raising the possibility that the cannabis played a role in the tumor regression.”

Cannabis Extract Treatment for Terminal Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia with a Philadelphia Chromosome Mutation

This 2013 case study was apparently the first to examine the impact of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-rich cannabis oil on cancer. A 14-year-old female patient with an aggressive form of leukemia initially received chemotherapy and radiation treatments for nearly three years; however, these measures failed to stop the cancer and the patient was placed in palliative home care. Cannabis oil was used as a last resort. The first dose was given on February 21, 2009. Prior to this, from February 4th to the 20th, the patient’s leukemic blast cell count rose from 51,490 to 194,000. Even after beginning the oil, the count continued to rise, peaking at 374,000 on February 25th. However, there was subsequently a sharp decrease in blast count, which correlated with an increase in the cannabis doses. By Day 39, the blast count had dropped to 300. The total treatment lasted 78 days, at which point the leukemic blast cells were almost completely gone. Unfortunately, the patient passed away from a bowel perforation that was reportedly caused by side effects from the high doses of previously administered chemotherapy. The doctors concluded:

“These results cannot be explained by any other therapies, as the child was under palliative care and was solely on cannabinoid treatment when the response was documented by the SickKids Hospital. The toxicology reports ruled out chemotherapeutic agents, and only showed her to be positive for THC when she had ‘a recent massive decrease of WBC from 350,000 to 0.3′ inducing tumor lysis syndrome, as reported by the primary hematologist/oncologist at the SickKids Hospital.” Tumor lysis syndrome can result from the toxins released when cancer cells are killed.

*Note: Hemp oil refers to THC-rich cannabis oil in this context, not hemp-derived CBD-rich oil

Interestingly, a report in 2016 from German doctors at the University Hospital Tübingen further supported the potential of THC to fight leukemia. They stated, “We have anecdotal evidence that THC may have contributed to disease control in a patient with acute undifferentiated leukemia.” The nature of this evidence was quite indirect though, as the doctors extracted blood plasma from an elderly patient treated with dronabinol (synthetic THC) and then cultured leukemia cells in the plasma. The patient received no other anticancer treatment. Doctors found there was an inhibitory effect of the plasma on the cells, and stated, “This observation argues for an antileukemic activity of dronabinol in vivo [in this case, in vivo refers to a human, not animals]. Indeed, one concern about using cannabis to treat cancer is that effective anticancer doses are not possible to obtain. This study offers evidence alleviating that concern. However, it was not entirely clear if a control experiment was conducted (testing dronabinol-free plasma on Jurkat leukemia cells). In any case, it was concluded that the study supported THC as a potential low-toxic therapy option for a subset of acute leukemia patients.

Medical Cannabis in the Palliation of Malignant Wounds – A Case Report

A case report describing a patient with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma who used vaporized cannabis and topically-applied cannabis oil was published in 2017 by a physician with the University of Toronto (full text here). Although the patient was mainly seeking pain relief, there was indication of an antitumor effect. Vaporization of 0.5g to 1.0g of dried cannabis (7.25% THC/8.21% CBD) allowed him to discontinue some pain medications and tremendously reduce others. He switched to topical use of a cannabis-infused sunflower oil (5.24% THC/8.02% CBD) after vaporization became impractical. As the chart below shows, the tumor size was increasing rapidly until it reversed course once topical treatment commenced.

The report’s author stated, “Before the use of topical MC oil, the patient’s wound was growing rapidly. Yet, after a few weeks, a modest regression of his malignant wound was observed while the patient used topical MC. This secondary outcome suggests that topical MC may promote antineoplastic activity as per the findings of Casanova et al. [referring to a study showing cannabinoid receptor activation reduces skin tumor growth].” Unfortunately, the patient still passed away from apparent metastasis of the cancer. This is not surprising; the oil used here was substantially weaker than oils reportedly used by other skin cancer patients – 13% vs. 50-80% in more concentrated extracts. Furthermore, the patient ingested very little cannabis internally. This action would have been needed to potentially fight metastasis. Nonetheless, the charted growth of the tumor strongly suggests an antitumor effect of cannabis.

Case Report: Clinical Outcome and Image Response of Two Patients With Secondary High-Grade Glioma Treated With Chemoradiation, PCV, and Cannabidiol

A pair of case reports published in January 2019 by Brazilian doctors examined the use of CBD along with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation for high-grade gliomas. Patient 1, a 38-year-old male, was diagnosed with Grade II astrocytoma in August 2010 after a partial surgical resection. Subsequent chemotherapy with temozolomide from 2011-2013 prevented regrowth until 2015, leading to recontinuation of a lower dose of temozolomide in March 2015. Proving ineffective, the dose was increased in June 2015, yet the tumor continued to grow. The temozolomide was discontinued in January 2016 and another surgery was planned, followed by radiation and a new combination of chemotherapy known as PCV (procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine) which lasted six cycles (administered for 5 days every 28 days). After the second surgery, the diagnosis had progressed to Grade IV glioblastoma. At this time CBD was also administered at a dose of 300-450mg/day. The patient experienced few symptoms of nausea or fatigue and was still able to practice sports.

One month after the end of the chemotherapy and radiation, a phenomenon known as pseudoprogression occurred (increased swelling and inflammation), which resolved after a short period. As the authors state, pseudoprogression “does not represent a progression of the disease, and is often a marker of longer survival, presumably because it represents a robust response to treatment… The anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective actions of CBD may be related to the absence of side effects associated with PSD, such as headache, or changes relevant to tumor location.” The CBD used during the study, which lasted around 2 years, was from a full-spectrum hemp-derived CBD oil containing less than .3% THC. During their first year of treatment, patients also vaporized THC-rich cannabis flower.

Patient 2, also a 38-year-old male, was diagnosed with Grade II oligodendroglioma in April 2014 after surgical biopsy, with MRI showing an expansive, infiltrative lesion. He received temozolomide from September 2014 to July 2015, with no growth until an MRI revealed increased dimensions in February 2016. At this time the patient received a partial surgical resection, radiation, and six cycles of the PCV combination therapy. After this surgery, the glioma had progressed to Grade III. CBD was administered alongside the PCV at doses of 100-200mg/day. Like Patient 1, this patient was able to still practice sports and had few symptoms of nausea and fatigue.

The authors concluded, “Although this study only had two cases, it is interesting to note the good clinical and radiological evolution that might be related to this therapeutic association. Future randomized placebo-controlled trials with a larger number of patients are needed to confirm the study findings.”

Report of Objective Clinical Responses of Cancer Patients to Pharmaceutical-grade Synthetic Cannabidiol

A 2018 case series analyzed 119 cancer patients over a four-year period who used a synthetic form of CBD. One of the researchers involved was Dr. Wai Liu, whose preclinical work showing how CBD and other nonpsychotropic cannabinoids (cannabigerol, cannabigevarin, and their respective acid forms) fight leukemia has attracted some significant media attention. Clinical responses were observed in 92% of the patients, based on reductions in circulating tumor cells or reduction in tumor size. Most patients used between 20-60mg CBD per day. Several particularly notable cases were highlighted by the authors. For example, brain scans were included from a five-year-old with anaplastic ependymoma who underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. These treatments exerted no substantial effects as of January 2016. He began taking 20mg CBD per day in February 2016. A scan in April showed tumor progression, but subsequent September and December 2016 scans revealed substantial regression (60% volume decrease between February and December).

Other notable cases are quoted below.

“72/male – Prostate Cancer – Patient has had cancer immunotherapy, sono and photodynamic therapy (14) which was successful. On resumption of testosterone injections his prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels increased to 16. We started him on CBD early in 2015 at a dose of 10 drops twice a day (10mg), three days on and three days off. There was a reduction in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) with CBD alone from an initial 8.1 cells/7.5mL to 5.9 cells/7.5mL, then steady reduction over the course of 12 months of 4.8, 4.2, then 3.2 cells/7.5mL. He is still under treatment.”

“68/female – Breast cancer with bone metastases – Patient was diagnosed in March 2014 with progressive disease. She started local radiotherapy. We started her on CBD in January 2015, all subsequent scans showed stable disease. She has had no treatment other than CBD following radiotherapy.”

“65/female – Oesophageal cancer – Patient was diagnosed in May 2016. She had a stent put on place at that time and was given an expected survival of three months. Since then, she has been on CBD as the only treatment, and she has continued to refuse all standard treatments and investigations. We last saw her in November 2016, when she was looking well and had in fact regained weight. She died in January 2018.”

“65/female – Breast cancer – Patient was diagnosed in November 2009, and refused all conventional treatments and investigations. On examination she had a large fungating lesion 15cm in diameter in the left breast, and also palpable left axillary nodes. She began treatment with CBD in October 2014. We persuaded her to have radiotherapy in November 2014. She only agreed to have half the recommended treatment course. She has continued on CBD alone and on her last appointment the tumour in her left breast was 2cm in diameter, with no palpable axillary nodes.”

“62/female – Breast cancer – We first saw this patient in May 2014 and she has been on CBD, as the only treatment, since October 2014. We carried out various CTC tests in October 2014 which showed 10.6 cells per 7.5mL. Subsequent tests in July and October 2015, November 2016 and October 2017 showed CTCs to be 7.3, 6.8, 5.0 and 3.9 cells/7.5mL, respectively. Patient is currently stable with no symptoms.”

“67/female – Lobular breast cancer – Patient was diagnosed in November 2012. We first saw her in March 2014, we gave her CBD in October 2014, which is the only method of treatment. Initial CTCs in October 2014 was 9.3 cells per 7.5mL. Follow-up measurements in September 2015, March 2016 and March 2017 have been 7.5, 6.8, and 3.0 cells/7.5mL, respectively. All standard clinical investigations and scans have been normal since the beginning of 2015.”

Concomitant Treatment of Malignant Brain Tumours With CBD – A Case Series and Review of the Literature

Doctors affiliated with a hospital in Austria published a case series in the journal Anticancer Research in 2019 which documented the experiences of nine patients with brain tumors who used CBD as a component of their treatment. The doctors concluded, “By the time of the submission of this article, all but one patient are still alive with a mean survival time of 22.3 months (range=7-47 months). This is longer than what would have been expected.” The longer survival time is most logically indicative of a direct anticancer effect. Survival was also extended in the double-blind, placebo-controlled trial discussed at the end of this article.

Striking Lung Cancer Response to Self-Administration of Cannabidiol: A Case Report and Literature Review

Doctors with the Royal Stoke University Hospital in England published a case report in 2019 about a man who used CBD and subsequently experienced shrinking of his lung tumor. He was diagnosed with lung cancer in autumn 2016 and his oncologist gave him 6-12 months to live without treatment. Given the patient’s age of 83, he declined the treatment to maintain his quality of life. He did nothing until a friend suggested he try CBD oil, so he began using a legal version purchased from a health store in September 2017, starting with 2 drops (1.32mg CBD) twice daily for a week and then 9 drops (6mg CBD) twice daily until the end of September. It is unclear if this dosing continued into October. Before using CBD, his cancer measured between 30-40mm, which was apparently the primary tumor. In November 2017, a CT scan revealed near total resolution of the apparent primary tumor and showed most lymph nodes were normal size.

The doctors concluded, “In summary, the 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.” Another scan from January 2018 showed further stability; although this scan was not shown, the original diagnostic scan and post-CBD November 2017 scan were included and shown below.

Pre-CBD October 2016

Post-CBD November 2017

Dramatic Response to Laetrile and Cannabidiol (CBD) Oil in a Patient with Metastatic Low Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma

Another case study in 2019 by doctors with the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center and UC San Diego School of Medicine reported on an 81-year-old patient with metastatic low grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC). In April 2017, the patient underwent surgery to have some cancerous tissue removed, and a May 2017 CT scan revealed several more soft tissue masses. The cancer was officially diagnosed as LGSOC, being positive for both estrogen and progesterone receptors.

Doctors recommended chemotherapy, but the patient declined due to concerns about quality of life. She instead pursued treatment with Laetrile tablets (500mg orally four times per day) and CBD oil (1 drop sublingually each evening) starting in May 2017. Her CA-125 level was measured to ascertain the status of the cancer, and immediately began to decline after the dual therapy started, as shown by the chart below. The potential contribution of each therapy is discussed later.

Another CT scan in July 2017 showed a decrease in the size of several masses. In November 2017, a further scan showed “dramatic reduction” in disease burden, as all identified lesions were almost completely resolved. The final assessment noted in this article occurred in December 2018 and revealed continued response to treatment.

This case is complicated by the combined use of Laetrile and an apparently very low dose of CBD that was not fully characterized. However, the authors noted that Laetrile, a semi-synthetic version of amygdaline (a naturally-occurring compound in some plants), has not been shown to be effective against cancer in any clinical trials. It is also a dangerous compound that is not recommended due to the risk of cyanide poisoning. Given this evidence, it is unlikely that Laetrile exerted any anticancer effect. However, there has seemingly never been a report of such a low dose of CBD exerting an anticancer effect before, raising the possibility this case may have been a spontaneous remission. Nonetheless, the previously discussed lung cancer case also involved low-dose CBD ingestion, so it’s possible that in some cases, especially among elderly patients, even low doses of CBD may produce an anticancer effect.

Cannabidiol Possibly Improves Survival of Patients with Pancreatic Cancer: A Case Series

The same team that published the peer-reviewed paper “Concomitant Treatment of Malignant Brain Tumours With CBD – A Case Series and Review of the Literature”, discussed earlier, also published a case series in 2020 featuring patients with pancreatic cancer who used CBD. While this paper has apparently not undergone the full peer-review process yet, the results come from a team with a previously published peer-reviewed article on similar subject matter. Nine patients were followed; all used chemotherapy along with CBD except for two who only used CBD. The daily dose was usually 400mg CBD, and the average overall survival was 11.5 months. As with the previous case series, survival was significantly extended with this protocol. The doctors concluded that overall survival was about two times longer than reported in a recent population-based study of pancreatic cancer patients.

The Effect of Cannabis in the Treatment of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in a Pregnant Patient – Extensive Case Report and Literature Review

In 2021, a case report of a Romanian woman who used cannabis to treat Hodgkin’s lymphoma during pregnancy was published in the Journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology by doctors with the University of Oradea. The full PDF is found here. The patient was diagnosed with Stage IIB Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) in 2009 and treated with chemotherapy and radiation, which led to incomplete remission as a persistent 2cm tumor remained in the thorax. The cancer was largely dormant until 2014 after the patient became pregnant, when an MRI scan and biopsy revealed an apparently new tumor in the thorax, which was again confirmed to be HL and apparently measured 15 x 13cm. The patient refused the recommended chemotherapy and the child was eventually born by C-section.

In 2015, the patient became pregnant again and refused to terminate the pregnancy. The HL continued to progress, and symptoms were managed primarily with analgesic treatments. At 26 weeks of this second pregnancy, the patient began using cannabis oil topically and orally, ingesting between 1mL and 5mL 3 times per day. The potency and constituents of the oil were not reported, and it is unclear whether the oil was dominant in THC or CBD. Nonetheless, the patient’s pain and quality of life improved, and, apparently, the dimensions of the 15 x 13cm thorax tumor reduced to 8.3cm (the description of the reduction in this case is obscure). Sometime after the second baby was delivered by C-section, the patient’s condition progressed to Stage IV HL, and she began using a variety of conventional treatments in 2016 and 2017 including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and surgery. She apparently did not use any treatments from 2017 to 2019, and resumed chemotherapy in 2019. It was unclear if she was still using cannabis at this time. As of the article’s publishing, it is also unclear what the patient’s status is.

Despite the particular complexity of this case, the fact the patient experienced a reduced tumor burden while taking cannabis oil is notable. The authors stated, “Cannabinoids affect many essential cellular processes and signaling pathways which are crucial for tumor development, as they can induce cell cycle arrest, promote apoptosis, and inhibit proliferation, migration and angiogenesis in tumor cells. In this way we explain the macroscopic tumor reduction in this patient after starting oral medical cannabis.” More information will eventually be included here if able to be obtained.

Cannabidiol and Other Phytocannabinoids as Cancer Therapeutics

A 2022 review article on phytocannabinoids and cancer included a reference to German cannabis doctor Franjo Grotenhermen’s report of a man with basal cell carcinoma who experienced remission after only using THC-rich cannabis extract. The review stated, “The patient, a 74-year-old male, had a recurrent basal cell carcinoma on his nose, diagnosed and surgically treated 13 years earlier, followed by resection, skin transplant and radiation on two further occasions. After topical application of a THC-rich extract four times daily, the tumour completely disappeared within 2 weeks. Ten months later, the patient was still free of recurrences.” Photos were provided by Dr. Grotenhermen himself with permission to use them.

Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Lichen Simplex Chronicus Successfully Treated with Topical Cannabinoid Oil: A Case Report and Summary of Cannabinoids in Dermatology

A 2022 case report shared information about a woman who used CBD oil to treat both lichen simplex chronicus and squamous cell carcinoma. Her right hand had biopsy-confirmed squamous cell carcinoma, with the original lesion presenting “as an erythematous scaling red plaque”. The woman treated the tumor twiced-daily with CBD oil, and within less than four weeks, the tumor completely resolved.

Survival rate of patients with combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma receiving medical cannabis treatment: A retrospective, cohort comparative study

A 2025 anlaysis of patients in Thailand receiving medical cannabis treatment revealed stark survival differences between patients with cholangiocarcinoma who did or did not use medical cannabis. While not a true case study/series, the results were quite notable. The study tracked 404 patients who received standard palliative pain management and 87 who had medical cannabis treatment. Median survival time was 0.83 months for those in the standard therapy group, and 5.66 months for those in the cannabis group. Researchers stated, “the observed survival benefit in the [cannabis] group may be partly attributable to both patient- and treatment-related covariates, as well as the potential symptom-modulating and anti-tumor mechanisms of cannabinoids demonstrated in preclinical studies.”

Durable complete response of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma using cannabis oil: a report of two cases

An incredible pair of case reports published in November 2025 described patients who achieved full remission from hepatocellular carcinoma, a form of liver cancer, after using cannabis as the sole therapy. The first patient, an 82-year-old male, declined conventional treatment and used an oil reported to be 10% THC and 5% CBD. He used a dose of two drops three times per day. After six months, the tumor had shrunk partially. Researchers stated, “Approximately two years after the diagnosis, the tumor was undetectable on MRI. Until today, almost 8 years after diagnosis, the tumor has not been detected again on imaging studies and AFP levels have remained normal.”

The second patient, a 77-year-old male, also used cannabis oil as the sole therapy for his cancer. He used a reportedly 15% THC and 2% CBD oil, at a dose of five drops twice per day. Within three months, the cancer had reduced in size, and by 15 months, only necrotic tissue was observable. Researchers stated, “To this day, almost 5 years after diagnosis, imaging studies do not demonstrate any recurrent disease and AFP levels are normal.”

They also noted that “no significant dietary, lifestyle or other supportive interventions were initiated during the follow-up period aside from the reported use of cannabis oil.”

Summary

It is clearly remarkable that so many case studies have been published concerning an anticancer effect of phytocannabinoids. Given that both phytocannabinoids and endocannabinoids are consistently shown in preclinical studies to kill or inhibit numerous types of cancer cells through similar mechanisms, it is not surprising that phytocannabinoids appear to be producing responses in humans. Furthermore, since at least 2008, patients have been reporting through various media that high doses of phytocannabinoids have induced full or partial remissions of their cancers. Frankly, it is beyond logical possibility that phytocannabinoids have never, in a single case, produced an anticancer effect in humans. The number of coincidences required for that to be the reality are just too much.

Even though phytocannabinoids can clearly fight cancer in at least some cases, there is still far more to learn about phytocannabinoid therapy for cancer. What are the ideal dose protocols for different patients with different cancers? What types of cannabis should be used? Is there the possibility that cannabis could interfere with some treatments, as has been indicated with immunotherapy? For now, there are no clear answers and it will take a long time to get them. However, one thing is clear. Cancer patients anywhere in the world should be allowed to use cannabis medicine under their doctor’s supervision, and willing terminal cancer patients should be provided free or low-cost cannabis medicine given the very real chance it could save or extend their lives. Many patients do not have time to wait, not even a single day, and the evidence is more than strong enough to justify access to cannabis medicine now.

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Before examining combinations of different phytocannabinoids, each isolated compound was tested on established GB cell lines and GB cells derived from surgical biopsies. CBG and THC possessed similar potencies in reducing the viability of these cells, while CBD was about 20% more potent. The results were different when examining glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs), which are undifferentiated cells that contribute to resistance of GB tumors to conventional therapy. In this case, CBD and THC were similar in their viability-reducing potency, while CBG was substantially weaker. CBD was still slightly stronger than THC though, indicating it was the most effective phytocannabinoid at reducing viability in both GB cells and GSCs. Further experiments revealed the viability-lowering effect was likely due to induction of programmed cell death (apoptosis). Interestingly, GSCs were more sensitive to apoptosis induced by all the phytocannabinoids than the differentiated GB cells. In the chart below, U87 and NIB138 are GB cells, and NCH644 and K26 are GSCs.

Caspase-3, a key enzyme involved in apoptosis, was not increased substantially in GB cell lines in response to CBD or CBG, as reflected by the low apoptotic rates shown above. However, combining CBD and CBG massively increased caspase-3 activation. Temozolomide (TMZ), a standard chemotherapeutic agent for GB, also barely increased caspase-3 on its own, but when combined with CBD and CBG, levels of the enzyme were raised tremendously. However, CBG and CBD were more effective on their own than with TMZ in two of the three tested cell lines (U373 and T98), whereas the U87 cell line showed the highest caspase-3 expression when all three compounds were mixed. Therefore, CBG and CBD sometimes worked better on their own, but TMZ was always more effective when combined with phytocannabinoids than on its own.

Researchers also tested different combination ratios of CBD and CBG together to examine potential synergy against GB cells and GSCs. Interestingly, the optimal ratios were essentially reversed depending on the cell type. For GB cells, the optimal ratio reported was 1:4 CBD:CBG, while for GSCs it was 3:1 CBD:CBG. The addition of THC at low concentrations did not significantly enhance the effects of the CBD:CBG combinations, although at higher concentrations appeared to contribute some benefit. Ultimately, researchers stated, “We have demonstrated that THC has little added value in combined-cannabinoid glioblastoma treatment, suggesting that this psychotropic cannabinoid should be replaced with CBG in future clinical studies of glioblastoma therapy.”

Despite these observations, this study only used isolated phytocannabinoids, and the effects in humans using whole-plant cannabis extracts can be quite different. Extrapolating dosing from cell studies to humans is also difficult, but such studies do provide indications for what may work in further animal or human studies. It is too soon to say whether THC could be replaced by CBG for GB treatment, but this possibility is worth exploring, especially in patients who cannot tolerate the intoxicating nature of THC. The promise of using nonintoxicating phytocannabinoids to treat cancer is exciting, as more patients would be able to comply with high doses and more medical professionals would be open to using them.

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