Opioids are generally prescribed to manage cancer-related pain . However, they suboptimally relieve pain in one-third of cancer patients and can have side effects. 1 To avoid opioids and manage cancer-related pain more efficiently, physicians have started considering medical cannabis (MC). Now, a study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of MC in managing cancer-related pain in 358 cancer patients.
2 MC significantly reduced worst and average pains, overall pain severity, and pain interference in patients at 3-, 6-, and 9-month follow-ups. Tetrahydrocannabinol:Cannabidiol-balanced strains significantly reduced pain better than tetrahydrocannabinol-dominant and cannabidiol-dominant strains. MC also decreased the total medication burden and morphine equivalent daily dose among patients. Thirteen non-serious adverse events, including somnolence and fatigue, were reported in 11 patients.…
