Health
Medical Marijuana and What Type of Cancers it Can Treat
What does marijuana cure? Medical marijuana is a plant-based medicine used to treat a number of diseases like anorexia, glaucoma, schizophrenia, posttraumatic stress disease, appetite loss, Alzheimer’s disease, Crohn’s disease, nausea, joint problem, back pain, muscle pain, cachexia, multiple sclerosis and of course cancer. Some experts like BestPot.ca, still claim that medical marijuana for cancer is not as effective as for other complications.
Read: Could Marijuana Be the Answer to Alzheimer’s?
What is cancer?
Cancer can be defined as the collection of diseased cells; some of the cells in our body begin multiplying and dividing at a rapid speed. This gives rise to the tumor in different parts of the body and negatively impacts tissues and organs. Marijuana and cancer cells have a strong relationship since medical marijuana is now being used to cure or treat different types of cancer. When this disease begins developing, the orderly process of cells’ division stops, and they begin dividing haphazardly. As they continue dividing and increasing in number, more and more normal cells get damaged, and many of them die or are replaced by the cancer cells.
All these extra cells eventually become tumors, and a tumor can develop in any part of the body. It should be noticed that cancer of the blood, like leukemia, does not form solid tumors but soft tumors. Some of the tumors reside in the immune system for their growth and eventually prevent runaway immune responses. Meanwhile cannabis becomes legalized in many states and countries, so it means that’s it’s safe for treating cancer.
What are the Symptoms of Cancer?
For effective marijuana curing, we must familiarize ourselves with the signs and symptoms of cancer. It should be noticed that cancer gives no prominent symptoms or signs in many people, meaning the disease acts as a silent killer and its signs become visible once the patient reaches the last stage of cancer. However, the doctor can diagnose the patient through different blood and urine tests. Some of the most common signs and symptoms of cancer are sudden weight loss, blurred vision, memory loss, irregular sleep, unexplained and consistent fever, fatigue, pain, feelings of restlessness, skin color changes, itching, dark spots around the eyes, and excessive hair loss. In some patients, excessive hair growth is commonly observed, and this is because the cancer cells begin developing in either the brain or the spinal cord.
Read: Cancer Treatments That Won’t Drain All Your Energy And Strength
Ways cannabis kills cancer cells
Does medical marijuana and cancer have any relationship? It is absolutely true that marijuana cures cancer and other different diseases, but before opting for it, we should always consult a healthcare professional because he may not recommend medical marijuana to treat cancer. Cannabinoids, the active compounds of cannabis are primarily responsible for preventing cancer from growing, spreading or causing tumors in different parts of the body.
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Antiproliferative
One of the major problems with cancer cells is that they do not easily stop growing, meaning they continue developed and dividing at a rapid rate and eventually reach other parts of the body. This process is called proliferation. A study published in the Oncotarget journal reveals that cannabinoids inhibit cell division in breast, lungs and kidneys.
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Anti-metastatic
When cancer cells are migrated from one part of the body to the other, they become metastatic, break down and form tumors. They mainly impact the lymph or blood circulatory system and can make a home in any part of the body. Studies indicate that cannabinoids can block metastasis to an extent.
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Anti-angiogenic
For cancer cells to survive for long, they need blood and this blood is obtained through lungs. Thus, we can say that lungs cancer and marijuana have a strong relationship with each other. Angiogenesis enables cancer cells to grow in blood vessels and lungs. Experts have revealed that the active compounds of cannabis help fight lung cancer and blood cancer. Not only this but also marijuana fights breast cancer too.
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Pro-apoptotic
It has already been mentioned that cannabinoids prevents cancer cells from spreading and creating a mess for the entire body. A study published in the Current Oncology journal reveals that marijuana for brain cancer is as effective as the painkiller to relief the pain in any part of the body. The scientific name of cell suicide is apoptosis, which is a natural mechanism that is used in the body to remove damaged or ineffective cells as soon as possible.
Cannabis for different types of cancer
Is cannabis asthma treatment possible? Is multiple sclerosis cannabis treatment possible? Studies indicate that cannabis can be used regularly for different types of cancer. It goes by multiple names such as pot, weed, hemp, grass, marijuana, and ganja.
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Brain cancer
Cannabinoids, the compounds present in medical marijuana or cannabis are effective for brain cancer. The currently available and other effective substances are dronabinol, synthetic cannabidiol, and cannabis extracts.
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Breast cancer
Breast cancer may cause depression and anxiety in women, and the disease is more common in women than in men. Can depression treatment marijuana be possible? Health experts have now proved that breast cancer can be cured using purified and isolated substances of cannabis, its refined extracts, nabilone, and nabiximols.
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Colon cancer
Cannabinoids are useful to cure colon cancer too. Nabilone and THC are primarily used to treat the illness, but these substances should not be tried without the recommendation of a doctor.
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Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
It is true that cannabis or medical marijuana cannot be used to fight Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. However, different other herbs are present to improve a patient’s quality of life.
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Leukemia
For leukemia, marijuana as a medical treatment is quite effective and useful. It has a long history of helping patients recover from the disease at a fast speed. Cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol are two main cannabis compounds to cure leukemia.
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Liver cancer
Studies indicate that liver cancer can be cured or treated with the regular use of cannabinoids. This compound stimulated the programmed death of cancer cells in our bodies.
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Lung cancer
In the case of lung cancer, the possible treatment for marijuana dependence is CB2 or THC. By using these two substances, we can quickly get rid of lung cancer and blood cancer. Thus, it can be said that lung cancer and marijuana are associated with one another.
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Prostate cancer
Patients with prostate cancer can use medical weed as it can help them recover from the illness at a fast speed. Radiation and chemotherapy may not be needed in that case.
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Stomach cancer
Different types of stomach cancer can be cured by using cannabis. It has proved to be effective and useful for both animals and humans.
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Skin cancer
Various patients use medical marijuana when it comes to treating skin cancer. Some types of oils are also recommended by doctors to cure the disease, but nothing can replace marijuana or weed.
Advantages and disadvantage of medical marijuana
Advantages
- Medical marijuana is effective to relieve vomiting and nausea.
- It can be a good alternative to radiation and chemotherapy, in the case of cancer.
- Curing paralysis, multiple sclerosis, and other similar diseases are good.
- Medical marijuana is also used to treat HIV/AIDS.
- It can relieve chronic pain especially neuropathic pain.
Disadvantages
- Regular use of marijuana can affect our memory to an extent.
- It can create feelings of restlessness or may become the reason of unconsciousness.
- It can negatively impact the cognitive health.
- It may damage the lungs, teeth and respiratory system and carries risks of addiction and abuse.
- Marijuana is illegal under the state and federal laws and is prohibited in different parts of the world.
Cancer Statistics
It’s safe to say that cancer affects or kills a large number of people worldwide. Alone in January 2017, over 1,435,350 cases of cancer were reported in the United States and Canada, and nearly 609,000 people died of cancer across the world.
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