Very First Human Trials Using Cannabis To Treat Brain Cancer Under Way

(View more pictures here) A European based pharmaceutical company called GW Pharmaceuticals is set to commence its first phase of clinical trials for the treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). It’s a bio-pharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel therapeutics from its proprietary cannabinoid product platform. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, GBM accounts for approximately 50% of the 22,500 new cases of brain cancer diagnosed in the United States alone each year.(1) Treatment with regards to brain cancer are very limited which makes the study of cannabis and its effect on brain tumors crucial. It’s about time, isn’t it? For several years now, pre-clinical research conducted by multiple scientists and universities all over the world have demonstrated that cannabinoids inhibit the viability of glioma cells both in vitro and in vivo. This happens through the process of apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Cannabis has successfully demonstrated tumor growth-inhibiting action and an improvement in the therapeutic efficacy of temozolomide, a standard treatment for glioma. GW pharmaceuticals have also followed this research and also conduct it themselves. As a result they’ve shown tumor response to be positively associated with tissue levels of cannabinoids. We are very excited about moving this compound into further human study and the prospects of cannabinoids as new anti-cancer treatments. This is GW’s first clinical study of cannabinoids as a potential treatment to inhibit tumor growth. We believe this clinical program demonstrates the flexibility and broad application of GW’s cannabinoids platform to treat significant, unmet therapeutic needs. – Dr Steven Wright, Director of Research and Development at GW The study will involve 20 patients, it will be a two-part study with an open-label phase to assess safety and tolerability of GW cannabinoids in combination with temozolomide, and a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase with patients randomized to active or placebo.

The study objective is to assess the tolerability, safety, and pharmacodynamics of a mixture of two principal cannabinoids, THC and CBD in a 1:1 allocation ration, in combination with temozolomide in patients with recurrent GBM. Unfortunately the study won’t be entirely cannabis, as mentioned earlier. It will in combination with temozolomide, an oral chemotherapy drug. Who knows what effect this may have with regards to using cannabis as treatment, but we will find out. Prior studies indicate that it (cannabis) does nothing but help. Earlier I published an article outlining four medical studies that prove cannabis can be an effective treatment, and even cure for brain cancer. Here (below) they are again just in-case you missed it. It’s potential benefits are not limited to brain cancer, but all kinds of cancer that suggest a massive amount of human clinical trials should begin. Take a look at the top 20 medical studies that prove cannabis can cure cancer. In my opinion, many human trials have already been conducted outside of the medical field. A large number of people have used cannabis to treat their cancer, and have been successful in doing so. It’s very hard to trust pharmaceutical companies these days. Home grown GMO and pesticide free cannabis would be ideal, and don’t forget that the best method of ingestion is eating it as opposed to smoking it. Hopefully this article sparks you to further your research on the healing properties of this plant if you’re interested. It’s a gift from nature and should not be taken lightly when it comes to its medicinal properties. It seems nature has a cure for everything, but our medicine has become an industry. I am a big believer that everything has a cure. 1. A study published in the British Journal of Cancer, conducted by the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Complutense University in Madrid, this study determined that Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other cannabinoids inhibit tumour growth.

They were responsible for the first clinical study aimed at assessing cannabinoid antitumoral action. Cannabinoid delivery was safe and was achieved with zero psychoactive effects. THC was found to decrease tumour cells in two out of the nine patients. 2. A study published in The Journal of Neuroscience examined the biochemical events in both acute neuronal damage and in slowly progressive, neurodegenerative diseases.

They conducted a magnetic resonance imaging study that looked at THC (the main active compound in marijuana) and found that it reduced neuronal injury in rats.

The results of this study provide evidence that the cannabinoid system can serve to protect the brain against neurodegeneration. 3. A study published in The Journal of Pharmacology And Experimental Therapeutics already acknowledged the fact that cannabinoids have been shown to possess antitumor properties. This study examined the effect of cannabidiol (CBD, non psychoactive cannabinoid compound) on human glioma cell lines.

The addition of cannabidiol led to a dramatic drop in the viability of glioma cells. Glioma is the word used to describe a brain tumour. The study concluded that cannabidiol was able to produce a significant antitumor activity. 4. A study published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics outlines how brain tumours are highly resistant to current anticancer treatments, which makes it crucial to find new therapeutic strategies aimed at improving the poor prognosis of patients suffering from this disease. This study also demonstrated the reversal of tumour activity in Glioblastoma multiforme. Sources: http://www.gwpharm.com/GW%20Pharmaceuticals%20Commences%20Phase%201b2a%20Clinical%20Trial%20%20for%20the%20Treatment%20of%20Glioblastoma%20Multiforme%20GBM.aspx .

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References:

• http://trialx.com/curetalk/2012/11/glioma-brain-tumor-cells-a-picture-gallery/
• http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v95/n2/abs/6603236a.html
• http://www.jneurosci.org/content/21/17/6475.abstract
• http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/308/3/838.abstract
• http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/10/1/90.abstract
• http://www.gwpharm.com/GW%20Pharmaceuticals%20Commences%20Phase%201b2a%20Clinical%20Trial%20%20for%20the%20Treatment%20of%20Glioblastoma%20Multiforme%20GBM.aspx