Prevalence, reasons for use, perceived benefits, and awareness of health risks of cannabis use among cancer survivors - implications for policy and interventions

Ikponmwosa Osaghae; Onyema Greg Chido-Amajuoyi; Rajesh Talluri; Sanjay Shete

doi:10.1007/s11764-023-01526-7

Prevalence, reasons for use, perceived benefits, and awareness of health risks of cannabis use among cancer survivors - implications for policy and interventions

J Cancer Surviv. 2023 Dec 29. doi: 10.1007/s11764-023-01526-7. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Ikponmwosa Osaghae¹, Onyema Greg Chido-Amajuoyi¹, Rajesh Talluri^{2

3}, Sanjay Shete^{4

5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
² Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
³ Department of Data Science, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
⁴ Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. sshete@mdanderson.org.
⁵ Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. sshete@mdanderson.org.
⁶ Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1400 Pressler Dr., FCT4.6002, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. sshete@mdanderson.org.

PMID: 38158514
DOI: 10.1007/s11764-023-01526-7

Abstract

Background: There is increasing discourse on the use of cannabis as a palliative for cancer/cancer-treatment-related symptoms. We described the prevalent reasons for use, perceived benefits, and awareness of health risks from cannabis use for cancer management among cancer survivors.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey of adult (≥ 18 years) cancer survivors from 41 US states receiving treatment at a comprehensive cancer center.

Results: Of 1,886 cancer survivors included, 17.4% were current users, 30.5% were former users, and 52.2% were never users of cannabis. Among survivors who currently or formerly used cannabis after their cancer diagnosis (n = 510), the reasons for cannabis use in cancer management were; sleep disturbance (60%), pain (51%), stress (44%), nausea (34%), and mood disorder/depression (32%). Also, about a fifth (91/510) of survivors used cannabis to treat their cancer. Across the different symptoms assessed, over half of the survivors who reported a reason for using cannabis currently or after their cancer diagnosis perceived that cannabis was helpful to a great extent in improving their symptoms. However, of the 167 survivors who reported awareness of potential health risks from cannabis use, the awareness of adverse health risks associated with cannabis use was low: suicidal thoughts (5%), intense nausea and vomiting (6%), depression (11%), anxiety (14%), breathing problems (31%), and interaction with cancer drugs (35%).

Conclusion: Prevalence of cannabis use among survivors was notable, with most reporting a great degree of symptomatic improvement for the specified reason for use. However, only a few were aware of the health risks of cannabis use during cancer management.

Implications for cancer survivors: With more cancer survivors using cannabis as a palliative in managing their cancer-related symptoms, future guidelines and policies on cannabis use in cancer management should incorporate cannabis-based interventions to minimize the inadvertent harm from cannabis use during cancer treatment among survivors.

Keywords: Cancer; Cancer survivors; Cannabis; Cannabis benefits; Cannabis risks; Marijuana; Oncology.

Grants and funding

P30CA016672/Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute