Department of Hematology Oncology, Beaumont Health, Royal Oak, MI.
Am J Clin Oncol. 2020 Sep;43(9):636-639. doi: 10.1097/COC.0000000000000718.
Cancer patients are using medical cannabis (MC) to address symptoms; however, little data exist to guide clinicians when counseling patients. We seek to define the patterns of MC use among cancer patients, as well as efficacy and safety of MC.
Cancer patients attending oncology office visits at Beaumont Hospital, Michigan from July to December 2018 were anonymously surveyed. The survey included data regarding demographics, diagnosis, treatment, symptom burden, and MC use. Patients who reported MC use since their cancer diagnosis completed a section on patterns of use, efficacy, and safety.
The response rate was 188 of 327 (57.5%). MC use was reported by 46 of 188 (24.5%). A median composite baseline symptom score ranging from 8 (best) to 32 (worst) was higher in patients using MC versus nonusers; 17.5 versus 14.4 (P<0.001). Pain was the symptom with the highest frequency of improvement 34/42 (81%), followed by appetite 34/44 (77.3%), and anxiety 32/44 (73%). MC improved the ability to tolerate treatment in 24/44 (54.5%). Cloudy thinking is the symptom that worsened the most 7/42 (16.7%), with decreased energy being experienced by 4/41 (9.8%) of the users.
MC was utilized by a significant portion of cancer patients in this sample, across age, diagnosis, stage, and treatment. Patients with a higher severity of baseline symptoms were more likely to use MC and report a favorable efficacy profile of MC. Minimal toxicity was reported in this cohort. Prospective studies are needed to define the efficacy and safety of MC.
癌症患者正在使用医用大麻（MC）来缓解症状；然而，目前几乎没有数据可以指导临床医生为患者提供咨询。我们旨在定义癌症患者使用 MC 的模式，以及 MC 的疗效和安全性。
2018 年 7 月至 12 月期间，密歇根州 Beaumont 医院的肿瘤门诊就诊的癌症患者匿名接受了调查。该调查包括有关人口统计学、诊断、治疗、症状负担和 MC 使用的数据。报告自癌症诊断以来使用过 MC 的患者完成了关于使用模式、疗效和安全性的部分内容。
对 327 名患者中的 188 名（57.5%）进行了调查。188 名患者中有 46 名（24.5%）报告使用了 MC。使用 MC 的患者的中位综合基线症状评分（范围为 8 分[最佳]至 32 分[最差]）高于未使用者；17.5 分对比 14.4 分（P<0.001）。在报告有改善的症状中，疼痛的频率最高（34/42，81%），其次是食欲（34/44，77.3%）和焦虑（32/44，73%）。MC 改善了 44 名患者中的 24 名（54.5%）对治疗的耐受性。最容易使症状恶化的是思维模糊（7/42，16.7%），41 名患者中有 4 名（9.8%）经历了乏力。
在这个样本中，相当一部分癌症患者使用了 MC，涵盖了年龄、诊断、分期和治疗等方面。基线症状严重程度较高的患者更有可能使用 MC，并且报告了 MC 的良好疗效。本队列报告的毒性最小。需要前瞻性研究来确定 MC 的疗效和安全性。
