The Effects of a Combination of Medical Cannabis, Melatonin, and Oxygen-Ozone Therapy on Glioblastoma Multiforme: A Case Report

Abstract

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive malignant tumor overall and remains an incurable neoplasm with a median survival of 15 months. Since 2005, the gold standard treatment for glioblastoma has remained unchanged, and it is a common goal of the scientific community to work towards a better prognosis and improved survival for glioblastoma patients. Herein, we report a case of glioblastoma multiforme in a patient with a poor prognosis who, following partial removal of the neoplasm, refused conventional therapy consisting of a combination of radiotherapy and temozolomide-based chemotherapy due to personal serious side effects. The patient started an unconventional therapeutic path by alternating periods of oxygen-ozone therapy with concomitant administration of legal medical cannabis products (Bedrocan and Bedrolite) and melatonin. This approach resulted in a complete and durable remission of the disease and long survival. Indeed, the patient is still alive. The exceptional result obtained here encourages us to share and carefully investigate this unconventional treatment as a possible future direction in the management of glioblastoma.

Keywords: cannabinoids; chemotherapy; glioblastoma; melatonin; oxygen–ozone therapy; radiotherapy.

Figure 1

Computerized tomography (CT) scan with contrast medium performed at initial diagnosis (21 August 2016) showed, in the left fronto-parietal area, two voluminous formations and inhomogeneous contiguous focalities of 52 × 41 mm and 40 × 20 mm, respectively, characterized by irregular peripheral impregnation and contextual necrotic-colliquative areas, with surrounding perilesional digitiform hypodensity, compression of the lateral ventricle, and contralateral shift of the midline structures (1 cm).

Figure 2

12 October 2016, instrumental examination after partial removal of left frontal multicentric neoplasm. The CT scan images with contrast medium showed an apparently reduced liqueur-like collection with associated wall impregnation. Posterior to the surgical cavity, there is an approximately 2 cm hyperdense solid nodule characterized by contrast-enhancing impregnation.

Figure 3

(a,c) 12 October 2016, CT scan image with contrast medium. Posterior to the surgical cavity, an approximately 2 cm hyperdense solid nodule is present (b) 9 February 2017, MRI T1 sequence with contrast medium. After the first cycle of O₂O₃ therapy, the 2 cm residual tumor mass that was present 3 months before was no longer visible (d) 9 February 2017, MRI image sequence in Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR).

Figure 4

11 October 2022, instrumental examination, stable negative picture. (a,b,f) MRI images, T1 sequence with contrast medium. (c–e) MRI images, sequence in FLAIR. The morphological picture remained stationary—the T2 hyperintensity surrounding the known left frontal malacic cavity extended to the knee and right root of the corpus callosum and in the left semioval center and was without mass effect and not modified in the contrastographic phases. Non-focality of new onset at the remaining levels. In the spongiosa of the left frontal bone in the median region and on the profile of the operculum, there are two areas of altered signal with contrastographic impregnation, both of which are stationary. The median structures are on an axis. The ventricular cavities and subarachnoid spaces are overlapping in size and morphology.

Figure 5

(a) 21 August 2016, CT image with contrast medium before surgery. (b) 12 October 2016, CT image with contrast medium after partial removal of left frontal multicentric neoplasm. (c) 9 February 2017, MRI image, T1 sequence with contrast medium after the first cycle of oxygen-ozone therapy. (d) 12 July 2021, MRI image sequence in FLAIR. (e) 24 February 2022, MRI image sequence in FLAIR. (f) 11 October 2022, MRI image sequence in FLAIR. Following a total of 5 years after the partial resection surgery, the morphological picture remained stable, and the patient was considered cured.