Cancer and Cannabis – Why We Won’t Stop Fighting For It

Cancer is a word that strikes fear into the heart of anyone who hears it. The word alone can be enough to make even the strongest person lose their battle with this terrible disease. But cancer doesn’t have to be a death sentence.

It’s an unfortunate but true reality that cancer is not very well understood. And when we don’t understand something, we don’t know how to fight it. If you are wondering how cancer and cannabis relate with each other, here’s the answer.

Cannabis has been such a game-changer for cancer patients everywhere. Although cannabis is not a cure for cancer, it does offer relief to many patients.

Some may not know that cannabis can also be used to treat symptoms associated with cancer treatments, such as nausea and pain. It’s often thought to offer relief from chronic pain, nausea, and other symptoms related to chemotherapy.

Cannabis is also believed to help alleviate anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder in some patients who are being treated for cancer. This article will consider how cannabis can be used as an alternative cancer treatment, what it offers, and why we cannot stop fighting for its legalization.

Do You Know Everything About Cancer?

Cancer, you hear the word in everyday news or passes you by in any social media feed.It holds a closely linked, bi-directional relationship with our lives and leaves us feeling powerless at best or, most often, very afraid.

But, do you really know everything about cancer? Many patients don’t know all the basics about having the disease or even the symptoms they see in their own bodies.

What is Cancer – The Basic Facts

Cancer comprises a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled cell growth. These cells invade and destroy nearby tissue and are capable of spreading to other parts of the body. [1]

It is impossible to cure cancer since it cannot be prevented, but it can be controlled with sensitive examinations and treatment. In diagnosing a person, the physician could identify, just through examination or tests, various capabilities of cancers that person might suffer from.

The tumor is usually inspected for other possible regions in the body by injecting a radioactive indicator to do blood sampling, image scanning, and computed tomography.

Whenever a female is found pregnant during such an investigation, she must recover before continuing the examination or taking any interfering drugs, as they might affect the child’s health later. [2]

Major Types of Cancer

A major issue in the world of medicine is that cancers are not always identified by their symptoms and are difficult to diagnose and treat. They can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or race.

The first step in diagnosing cancer is a complete physical examination. The doctor will check your height and weight and might feel your body for lumps or abnormal tissue growths.

A healthcare provider will likely be able to diagnose the kind of cancer you have based on your description of symptoms or findings from an examination.

However, cancers can be grouped into five major categories: carcinomas, sarcomas, melanomas, lymphomas, and leukemias. [3]

1.    Carcinomas

Carcinoma is a tumor that develops in the tissue of an organ. The word carcinoma is derived from the Greek word carcinos, meaning crab, and refers to the malignant cell being shaped like a crab.

Carcinomas grow on or invade adjacent tissues and organs. The cancers may grow anywhere except hair follicles, sweat glands, nails, or normal skin tissue, with two exceptions: basal cell carcinomas may occur anywhere on the skin, and Kaposi sarcomas can develop in any tissue in the body (except sweat glands). [4]

2.    Sarcomas

Sarcomas are a type of cancer that affect your connective tissues. They can be found in bone, muscle, fat, and cartilage. They are also known as “soft tissue sarcomas.” The first sign of a sarcoma is usually pain or swelling at the tumor site. It often starts as a bump or lump and is most common among people over 40 years old. [5]

3.    Melanomas

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that starts in the skin cells called melanocytes. It is the most severe form of skin cancer, and it can spread to other parts of the body if not treated.

Melanomas are classified into two types: superficial and deep. Fewer than 5% of melanomas are classified as deep, which means they have spread deeper than just the top layer of skin and may be more challenging to treat.

Typically, when an individual has an extreme risk of developing melanoma, they are advised to get their moles checked by their doctor or dermatologist on a regular basis. They can also take preventive measures by using sunscreen when they’re out in the sun or avoiding harmful UV rays at home with window tinting and other methods.

4.    Lymphomas

Lymphomas are cancers that start from the cells of the immune system. It can occur in different body areas, and its symptoms depend on the lymph node type and location.

There are two types of lymphoma: Hodgkin Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Hodgkin lymphoma is cancer that starts from cells specialized in fighting infection.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma starts from cells that are less specialized than those seen in Hodgkin’s disease, which means it can affect a wider range of tissues and organs. Treatment for both types usually involves chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

5.    Leukemias

Leukemias are a type of cancer that affects the blood cells. The different types of leukemias are classified according to the type of cell. There are three main types – lymphoid, myeloid, and monocytic.

The cancers that affect the lymphatic cells are called lymphomas, including Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The other two types are myeloproliferative disorders and include Polycythemia Vera (High Count) and Essential Thrombocythemia (High Count).

The Warning Signs & Symptoms of Cancer

Cancer is one of the most common major diseases in the world. It affects about 1 in 3 Americans and contributes to about 1 in 6 deaths every year worldwide. [6] There are many different types of cancer, but it may be difficult to recognize the warning signs and symptoms. But certain cancer signs and symptoms are more common than others.

Having a family history of cancer or being exposed to certain risk factors such as pollution, smoking or radiation can increase your chances of developing it yourself. It is important to be aware of these signs and symptoms so that you can seek medical intervention at an early stage before any spread occurs.

The following are some possible warning signs and symptoms:

• Persistent cough
• Nasal congestion
• Unusual bleeding or discharge from any of your body openings
• You may experience a lump or swelling in your breast, under the arm, in your neck, around your thigh, or around your eyes
• Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
• Sudden weight loss
• Coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
• Chest pain that doesn’t go away with rest
• Recurring fevers and night sweats

Cancer and Cannabis: How Cannabis Can Help?

Cannabis is well known for its medicinal benefits. Studies have been conducted and data compiled on what cannabis can do for cancer patients, and the results are quite interesting.

Cannabis does not cure cancer, but there are many different ways it can be used to treat this condition. So it is worth looking into how this plant can affect cancer symptoms such as pain, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. For instance, the cannabis plant contains cannabinoids, which are chemical compounds that help reduce other distressing side effects as well like anxiety, convulsion, and nausea.

Moreover, Cannabis Indica promotes wakefulness and relieves pain, whereas Cannabis Americana has a narcotic action with sedative effects.

Its use appears to be limited by its side effects like euphoria, dysphoria, tachycardia, and hypotension. Cannabis is not an option for everyone, but it could be helpful to patients who are experiencing these symptoms.

Recent Researches and Medical Claims on Cancer and Cannabis:

There are research studies, observational studies, and even meta-analytic studies on cannabis spanning several countries. All those hints at a positive sentiment on the marijuana topic.

• As of April 2018, Canada legalized the recreational use of marijuana. [7]
• More Americans are turning to it for pain relief and cancer-treatment purposes.
• There are three drugs approved by U.S. authorities– Dronabinol, Nabilone, and Cesamet— that include THC in their formulations. [8]
• Cancer treatment met the threshold of .001 grams in the blood serum levels or certain secretion rates or at least ten times that amount 24 hours after stopping the use of marijuana from concentrates or foods containing THC and other narcotics not prescribed by a doctor would result in a violation under any statute regulating ingestion.[9]
• According to recent research, states with medical cannabis programs had an opioid mortality rate nearly 25% lower than those without legal marijuana, according to one study published in the journal Drug Alcohol Dependence.[10]

Final Thoughts:

This write-up is a powerful call to action to fight for cannabis in the name of cancer patients. The relation between cancer and cannabis extracts’ effects on its symptoms clearly indicates the medicinal potential of this wondrous plant. Despite the obstacles, we will not stop advocating for this plant until it is available to all who need it.

Sources:

1. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer#:~:text=Cancer%20is%20a%20disease%20in,up%20of%20trillions%20of%20cells.
2. https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/dating-sex-and-reproduction/cancer-during-pregnancy
3. https://www.webmd.com/cancer/guide/understanding-cancer-basics#:~:text=The%20major%20types%20of%20cancer,Lymphomas%20are%20cancers%20of%20lymphocytes.
4. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer#:~:text=Cancer%20is%20a%20disease%20in,up%20of%20trillions%20of%20cells.
5. https://institut-curie.org/dossier-pedagogique/epidemiology-sarcomas-who-affected
6. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer
7. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cannabis-changed-canada-1.6219493#:~:text=Cannabis%20use%20is%20up&text=17%2C%202018%2C%20cannabis%20became%20legal,had%20a%20number%20of%20goals.
8. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/marijuana/marijuana-safe-effective-medicine
9. https://www.drugs.com/npp/marijuana.html
10.  https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1898878