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Brain cancer has been in the news – it's a devastating diagnosis, but there's hope that cannabis could help.

Michael Strahan has publicly announced that one of his daughters has brain cancer. Since then, she has been experiencing a slow recovery, which she shares with us to raise awareness that brain cancer is a disease of all ages. Every year, over 100,000 people are diagnosed with a primary brain tumor. Brain and other CNS tumors are the fifth most common cancer. Over 301,000 children are currently diagnosed with a brain tumor. Over 1 million people are living with a diagnosis of a primary brain tumor and the journey can be difficult. Early research suggests that medical marijuana may help with brain cancer.

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Cannabis has been proven to have medicinal benefits, but more research needs to be done to better define how it can impact and help patients. There is currently limited evidence that cannabis-based products are useful for treating brain tumors or brain cancer. Preliminary laboratory studies suggest that the cannabinoid chemicals THC and CBD can stop the growth of glioblastoma cells (GBM), causing them to die and cutting off the blood supply to the tumor cells.

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There is some data and research on glioma that appears promising. Gliomas are cell growths that begin in the brain or spinal cord. The cells in a glioma resemble healthy brain cells called glial cells. Glial cells surround nerve cells and help them function. When a glioma grows, it forms a tumor.

Preliminary laboratory studies suggest that the cannabinoid chemicals THC and CBD can stop the growth of glioblastoma cells (GBM), causing them to die and cutting off the blood supply to the tumor cells.

In 2021, an early-stage study led by Professor Susan Short suggested that adding a specific mix of these chemicals – in the form of a drug called Sativex – to chemotherapy could potentially help treat recurrent GBMs more effectively.

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The CXannabis-based drug Sativex is approved as a prescription drug. The drug, used to treat multiple sclerosis, proved to be tolerable in a phase I study in glioblastoma, even in combination with chemotherapy, and could extend survival.

A phase II trial led by the University of Leeds is investigating whether adding Sativex – an oral spray containing the cannabinoids THC and CBD – to chemotherapy could extend the lives of thousands of people diagnosed with recurrent glioblastoma. Currently, the average survival time is less than 10 months.

Scientific research suggests that medical cannabis and cannabinoids could become key therapies in modern neuro-oncology; However, further studies are needed to establish results and dosage.