True or False: CBD Oil Cures Pancreatic Cancer

The short answer to the statement of “CBD oil cures pancreatic cancer” is “No”. CBD oil has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat cancer or its symptoms and side effects.

However, there’s more to the story. We need to understand that things are not static when it comes to the above question, but before doing that let us understand what actually is CBD oil and why it is in the news more often than not.

What is CBD oil?

CBD oil is an extract from hemp. Both hemp and marijuana are varieties of the Cannabis Sativa plant and contain CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is responsible for the hallucinating and psychoactive experiences that marijuana is associated with. However, because THC is present only in negligible amounts in hemp, CBD does not have the same hallucinatory effects as marijuana.

The result is that CBD oil is used in a variety of forms and used for vaping and even as cooking oil in the kitchen. Non-human studies have been conducted that have indicated that cannabinoids, when used along with therapies such as radiation and chemotherapy, can have therapeutic effects for these treatments.

The research

In 2018, researchers led by Queen Mary University of London found that mice with pancreatic cancer who were treated with CBD oil along with chemotherapy lived three times longer than those treated only with chemotherapy. As of today, pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates among cancers, which makes these results very encouraging.

Commonly confused with marijuana, cannabidiol (CBD) does not have the psychoactive effects that the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in marijuana causes. Since CBD is legal and allowed for use in clinics, human trials can begin faster. 

CBD has been also found to alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which can improve the life quality of patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Pre-clinical studies have also shown reduced growth of cancerous cells and their migration. However, more studies are needed and more human trials need to be connected. Future studies have to evaluate the effectiveness of specific cannabinoids and also understand proper dosage that would be optimal in a clinical setting.

Using CBD oil for treatments

It’s important to let your doctors know if you’re using CBD oil. There are many people who do not view CBD as medicinal but treat it more like a vitamin or a supplement. This means that they don’t let their doctors know that they are using it, however, this can be very dangerous in the long run and you should avoid such a step. Nothing should act as an impediment in your treatment of cancer or other conditions.

Cleanliness, regulation, and quality are the biggest dangers associated with using CBD oil at the moment because CBD oil is unregulated. You should look to avoid CBD products that claim health benefits on their labels. There is still a lot to learn and we can only hope that there will be a day soon when CBD oil can be used in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.