Medical Marijana for Breast Cancer..What's the Buzz?

We have been getting a lot of questions lately on the use of medical marijuana and how exactly does it help breast cancer patients. You may have read that Olivia Newton John is using CBD also known as cannabis oil to treat her breast cancer recurrence.

So what exactly is CBD oil and does it really have cancer-fighting powers? CBD or cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in the stalks, seeds, and flowers of cannabis plants like hemp. It’s one of several compounds, called cannabinoids, found in cannabis, aka the marijuana plant. Taken as a spray or capsule or inhaled as a vapor, CBD oil is used to treat either the cancer itself or the side effects of the disease or chemotherapy. Unlike smoking marijuana, CBD oil won’t get a person high because it doesn’t contain enough of the high-producing cannabinoid known as THC. Not getting high is part of the appeal of CBD oil for many patients.

The issue is that whether cannabis oil really plays a role in fighting cancer or easing cancer side effects is controversial. The evidence points to positive effects as a complimentary treatment not as a substitute for medical protocol. Studies in recent years suggest that CBD may help inhibit metastasis in breast cancer cells. In 2014, researchers from the California Pacific Medical Research Center discovered that CBD appears to inhibit the Id-1 and Akt genes, which have been known to play a role in tumor growth.
In 2012, researchers in Madrid discovered that CBD and its derivatives apply “anti-proliferative, pro- apoptotic(promote cell death), anti-migratory(stop cells traveling) and anti-invasive(spreading) actions.” This means that the compounds reduced tumor sizes, encouraged the cancerous cells to kill themselves, and stopped the spread of the tumors without harming healthy cells.

Here’s What the National Cancer Institute Says About CBD for Breast Cancer
The NCI describes CBD as potentially benefiting those with breast cancer in two separate capacities:

• CBD has demonstrated anti-cancer properties
• CBD can help patients manage symptoms related to cancer treatments

The NCI highlights the findings of studies suggesting CBD is potentially beneficial for fighting and inhibiting the spread of breast cancer.
“These anti-cancer effects may be related to CBD’s influence over the endocannabinoid system’s CB1 and CB2receptors, as one study confirmed that CB1 and CB2 receptors are potential targets in breast cancer. However, an in vitro study looking at the effect of CBD on breast cancer found that the compound effectively “induced programmed cell death, independent of the CB1, CB2, or vanilloid receptors.”
“In that in vivo study, CBD was able to inhibit the survival of breast cancer cells by inducing apoptosis, a process of cell death. The higher concentration of CBD administered, the greater the anti-breast cancer effects were. At the same time, CBD had little effect on normal breast cells.”

The NCI points out that other preclinical studies have found evidence of CBD’s anti-tumor effects in breast cancer. CBD has also shown to increase the uptake of traditional anti-cancer drugs to improve their efficacy for inducing apoptosis of cancer cells, according to the findings.

So where do you get CBD oil? My daughter-in-law, after reading about the anti-cancer effects of CBD oil, referred me to a site called “Charlotte’s Web”. I am not a doctor so I refer you to this site as one breast cancer patient to another. I have started taking this supplement and it does help with my energy level and anxiety if I take it faithfully. Of course, as always, you should check with your oncologist before taking any supplement. My mantra is “if it will do no harm” and will possibly help me, I will make my own decision.
Here’s where I buy my supplement:
https://www.cwhemp.com/