Cannabis Compounds to be Tested as Brain Cancer Therapy in the UK
A team of UK doctors and scientists will study Sativex, a mouth spray containing the two most biologically active compounds of medical marijuana, as a therapy for the most aggressive form of brain cancer. Sativex is an all-natural medicine derived from cannabis and already approved for treating spasticity in multiple sclerosis patients.
Preliminary Studies Have Shown a Lot of Promise
There are a number of in vitro and animal studies that show the anti-cancer potential of certain chemicals found in cannabis. When applied to cell cultures of several lines of tumors in Petri dishes, cannabinoids THC and CBD slow down or block their development. The same effects have been observed in experiments on live mice.
The underlying science is the presence of cannabinoid receptors on the surfaces of cancer cells. This makes them the target for active compounds of medical marijuana.
However, preliminary investigations conducted so far aren’t enough proof that cannabinoids can be used for cancer treatment in humans. Authorities need data from proper, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials before they can approve this new application.
A Large-Scale Clinical Trial to Start in the UK Next Year
Professor Susan Short from the University of Leeds will lead a team of doctors from 15 hospitals across the country who will study the use of Sativex in combination with a chemotherapy drug called temozolomide on 232 glioblastoma patients.
Though the most common form of brain cancer, glioblastoma is also the most aggressive. On average, it kills a patient 18 months after the initial diagnosis. It spreads rapidly into many parts of the brain and often starts to grow again after successful treatment.
A 2011 study found that treatment-resistant glioblastoma cells can be destroyed when temozolomide is used in conjunction with THC and CBD, the two most common and well-researched chemicals in cannabis.
Sativex, an FDA-approved cannabis drug, is a 50:50 THC:CBD mixture, and it has already been a part of a small-scale study of 27 glioblastoma patients. The results of this Phase I trial were published by Short and her colleagues earlier this year. The authors reported that 83 percent of subjects who received Sativex along with their chemotherapy were still alive after 12 months, compared to only 44 percent in the control group.
However, the study wasn’t designed to assess the efficacy of the treatment. Its goal was to find out whether the use of Sativex was safe and well-tolerated by cancer patients.
The Phase II trial is scheduled to start the recruitment of patients in early 2022 and will last for a total of three years. Of 232 subjects involved, two-thirds will self-administer Sativex up to 12 times a day, and one-third will receive a placebo instead.
The Brain Tumour Charity, an organization backing this project, has estimated the cost of the study at £450,000 ($627,000) and is currently seeking donations.
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This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.
