A study published in the scientific journal F1000 Research found that medical cannabis use increased overall survival rates among patients diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a rare cancer that attacks the bile ducts. Patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) who used cannabis during palliative care extended survival compared to those who did not.
A team of Thai researchers compared survival trends among 491 patients newly diagnosed with advanced CCA. CCA rates in Northeastern Thailand are significantly high and one of the leading causes of mortality in this region. Study participants had to be at least 18 years of age, and they were required to be registered at a palliative care clinic or a medical cannabis clinic. 404 patients (296 males and 195 females) received pain management care only, while 87 patients (54 males and 33 females) used medicinal cannabis products during cancer treatment. The two groups had similar baseline characteristics.
The research team used the Kaplan-Meier method to calculate cumulative survival and Cox regression to determine independent prognostic factors. The researchers defined survival time as the phase from the date of patient registration at a palliative or cannabis clinic until the date of patient death or study endpoint.
The follow-up time was 790 person-months with a mortality rate of 48.35/100 person-months for patients receiving standard palliative care. Patients who integrated cannabis into palliative care had a follow-up time of 476 person-months and a mortality rate of 10.9/100 person-months. The study showed that the median survival time after registration at a palliative clinic was 0.83 months for patients receiving standard care only, while the median survival time was 5.66 months for patients using medical cannabis.
The study highlights the effectiveness of integrating medicinal cannabis into palliative care for patients with aggressive cancer.
Sources: F1000 Research, NORML
