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Striking lung cancer response to self-administration of cannabidiol: a case report and literature review

Sule-Suso, J; Watson, NA; van Pittius, DG; Jegannathen, A

Authors

NA Watson

DG van Pittius

A Jegannathen



Abstract

In spite of new drugs, lung cancer is associated with a very poor prognosis. Whilst targeted therapies are improving outcomes, it is not uncommon for many patients to have only a partial response, and relapse during follow up. Thus, new drugs or re-evaluation of existing therapies used to treat other non-malignant diseases (drug repurposing) are still needed. While this research both in vitro and in vivo is being carried out, it is important to be attentive to patients where the disease responds to treatments not considered standard in clinical practice. We report here a patient with adenocarcinoma of the lung who, after declining chemotherapy and radiotherapy, presented with tumour response following self-administration of cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive compound present in cannabis sativa. Prior work has shown that cannabidiol may have anti-neoplastic properties and enhance the immune response to cancer. The data presented here indicates that cannabidiol might have led to a striking response in a patient with lung cancer.

Acceptance Date Jan 29, 2019
Publication Date Feb 21, 2019
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal SAGE Open Medical Case Reports
Publisher SAGE Publications
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/2050313X19832160
Keywords lung cancer, cannabinoid, cannabidiol
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.1177/2050313X19832160