Marijuana and Cannabidiol Use Prevalence and Symptom Management Among Patients with Cancer

Abstract

Symptoms such as pain, nausea, and anxiety are common in individuals with cancer. Treatment of these issues is often challenging. Cannabis products may be helpful in reducing the severity of these symptoms. While some studies include data on the prevalence of cannabis use among patients with cancer, detailed data remain limited, and none have reported the prevalence of cannabidiol (CBD) use in this population. Adult patients with cancer attending eight clinics at a large, NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center completed a detailed, cannabis-focused questionnaire between 2021 and 2022. Eligible participants were diagnosed with invasive cancer and treated in the past 12 months. Summary statistics were calculated to describe the sample regarding cannabis use. Approximately 15% (n = 142) of consented patients (n = 934) reported current cannabis use (defined as use within the past 12 months). Among which, 75% reported cannabis use in the past week. Among current cannabis users, 39% (n = 56; 6% overall) used CBD products. Current users reported using cannabis a median of 4.5 (interquartile range: 0.6–7.0) days/week, 2.0 (1.0–3.0) times per use/day, and for 3 years (0.8–30.0). Use patterns varied by route of administration. Patients reported moderate to high relief of symptoms with cannabis use. This study is the most detailed to date in terms of cannabis measurement and provides information about the current state of cannabis use in active cancer. Future studies should include complete assessments of cannabis product use, multiple recruitment sites, and diverse patient populations.

Significance: Clinicians should be aware that patients are using cannabis products and perceive symptom relief with its use.

FIGURE 1

Methods of obtaining cannabis products and modes of current cannabis product use among 142 patients with cancer. Participants took cannabis in multiple ways and category sample sizes do not sum to 142. Response options for how cannabis is obtained or details on modes of use are also nonmutually exclusive and do not sum to category totals. Category “other” (n = 5 responses) is not pictured above.

FIGURE 2

Proportion of 142 current cannabis users reporting reasons for cannabis use (left ordinate; bars), and medians and quartile ranges (right ordinate; dots and lines) of the degree to which participants reported symptom relief from cannabis (scale of 1 to 10). Reasons for use are nonmutually exclusive and data do not sum to 100%. Not shown: 28% reported use of cannabis products for enjoyment/recreation. Different than symptom-related reasons for use, participants were not asked a follow-up question to rank enjoyment/recreation.