First study of cannabis-based drug for brain tumors

Glioblastoma is a very aggressive tumor in the brain. This type of cancer is difficult to treat and there are few treatment options. Still, there is hope. In England, they are now embarking on a clinical trial to test whether a cannabis-based drug can increase the chances of survival with this type of brain tumor. In this blog, we list what is currently known about it.

Cancer is a horrible disease, but brain cancer is the most terrifying form for most people. Glioblastoma is a form of cancer that is the most aggressive (WHO grade IV). After treatment, it is common for glioblastoma to recur, and the survival rate averages 10 months.

Common symptoms include headaches, change in behavior, vomiting, neurological failure and epilepsy. The symptoms generally get worse quickly. When cancer is suspected, an MRI scan is done and on it a doctor can usually identify a glioblastoma well. To find out if it really is a glioblastoma, a biopsy must usually be taken.

Unfortunately, the treatment of these tumors is very difficult. Even if the tumor is removed by surgery and treated with chemotherapy, almost all glioblastomas recur within a year. And then there are very few treatment options for patients. Therefore, other means are being diligently pursued. Recently (in 2022) a study was set up on the effectiveness of a drug based on cannabis in brain tumors.

In England, the first, groundbreaking research has been set up by the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, into the potential of a drug containing cannabis that might have a role in treating brain tumors. At issue is the drug Sativex, now prescribed to treat muscle stiffness and pain in MS.

Currently, the first patients are being recruited for the study in a clinical trial called Aristocrat. In doing so, they want to find out whether a combination of Sativex with chemotherapy can help extend the lives of people diagnosed with recurrent glioblastoma.

It is anticipated that more than 230 patients will participate in the study. These are recruited through 14 hospitals in England, Scotland and Wales. The study is led by scientists from the University of Leeds and the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Birmingham.

Study participants will be asked to take 12 sprays of Sativex or a placebo orally each day (or as many as they can tolerate). After that, they get regular follow-up tests, including a clinical assessment (every four weeks), blood tests, an MRI scan every eight weeks and they have to fill out questionnaires related to quality of life.

The study will provide data that can clarify whether the cannabis-based drug Sativex is useful in combination with chemotherapy in the treatment of brain tumors. It looks at patient survival rates, whether the drug can slow disease progression and whether it can improve quality of life.

In 2021, the first phase of the research took place. Twenty-seven patients were followed and this study showed that Sativex was well tolerated in combination with chemotherapy. Also, the data suggest that the drug has the potential to prolong the lives of people with recurrent glioblastoma.

If the second phase is as successful, experts hope Sativex could be a new drug in the treatment of glioblastomas. Dr. David Jenkinson, head of research, said he is very excited. It could accelerate research into a cure for this horrific disease.

There has been growing interest in recent years, he said, among both researchers and patients about the potential of cannabinoids in the treatment of glioblastomas. Cannabinoid-based medications are known to have certain effects on the brain. Physicians are very interested in learning more about the potential of such agents in treating various types of cancer.

It is true that glioblastomas also have cannabinoid receptors on the cell walls. Laboratory studies on glioblastoma cells show that these drugs can slow tumor growth and can be well combined with regular cancer drugs.

It is wonderful that natural substances in cannabis can help in the fight against brain tumors. More and more research is being done on the effectiveness of cannabinoids in different types of cancer, and we are learning more and more about them. In the process, more stories are coming out of people who have benefited from using cannabis for cancer: ranging from treating pain symptoms to reducing the side effects of regular treatments such as chemotherapy.

But keep in mind that much is still unknown about the use of cannabis in the treatment of brain tumors. Dr. Jenkinson recommends caution. Cannabis can help relieve symptoms, but it is still not an official drug to treat brain tumors. Are you considering using cannabinoids yourself, whether it’s marijuana or CBD products , consult with your treating physician first. This is because these substances can affect the effect and effectiveness of the medication you are already taking, such as antiepileptic drugs.