Observational studyThe oncologist2019
Cannabis Impacts Tumor Response Rate to Nivolumab in Patients with Advanced Malignancies.
Observational study in The oncologist, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 85 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
85 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 146 citations in OpenAlex.
- The impact of cannabis on immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy: a systematic review of immunomodulatory effects of cannabis in patients with and without cancer.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Pooled it
- Cannabis and Cannabinoids in Adults With Cancer: ASCO Guideline.Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2024Guideline
- MASCC guideline: cannabis for cancer-related pain and risk of harms and adverse events.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2023Guideline
- Roles of Cannabinoids in Melanoma: Evidence from In Vivo Studies.International journal of molecular sciences · 2020Pooled it
- A randomized trial of medical cannabis in patients with stage IV cancers to assess feasibility, dose requirements, impact on pain and opioid use, safety, and overall patient satisfaction.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2021Trial
- Cannabis in cancer: a review of therapeutic potential, clinical and preclinical status, and legislation.Archives of pharmacal research · 2026Review
- Cannabinoids in Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms of Tumor Cell Death and Translational Opportunities.Biomolecules · 2026Review
- Medical Cannabis and the Hallmarks of Cancer: A Critical Narrative Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- The Relationship Between (Endo)cannabinoids, the Microbiome and Melanoma.Pharmacology research & perspectives · 2026Review
- Leveraging the national cancer institute's collaborative efforts to understand the benefits and harms of cannabis use among individuals with cancer.Journal of the National Cancer Institute · 2026Article
- The impact of concomitant medications on treatment outcomes in patients with cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors.Nature reviews. Cancer · 2026Review
- Phytocannabinoid-drug interactions: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms, clinical relevance and toxicological considerations.Frontiers in toxicology · 2026Review
- Cannabinoids in hematologic malignancies: mechanisms and therapeutic potential for overcoming drug resistance.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Review
- Cannabinoids in oncology: pharmacology, clinical applications, and translational perspectives.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Review
- Effects of Inhaled Tobacco and Cannabis Co-Use on Respiratory Health and Tobacco Cessation: An Official American Thoracic Society Research Statement.American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine · 2025Article
- Article
- The Complexity of Malignant Glioma Treatment.Cancers · 2025Review
- Effects of cannabinoids on immune checkpoint inhibitor response: CCTG pooled analysis of individual patient data.Immunotherapy · 2025Article
- Relationship between pain and nonopioid substance use in two national samples of cancer survivors.Cancer · 2025Article
- Impact of cannabinoids on cancer outcomes in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Review
25 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThere has been a significant increase in the use of immunotherapy and cannabis recently, two modalities that have immunomodulatory effects and may have possible interaction. We evaluated the influence of cannabis use during immunotherapy treatment on response rate (RR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). SUBJECTS, MATERIALS, AND
methodsIn this retrospective, observational study, data were collected from the files of patients treated with nivolumab in the years 2015-2016 at our hospital, and cannabis from six cannabis-supplying companies. Included were 140 patients (89 nivolumab alone, 51 nivolumab plus cannabis) with advanced melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and renal clear cell carcinoma. The groups were homogenous regarding demographic and disease characteristics. A comparison between the two arms was made.
resultsIn a multivariate model, cannabis was the only significant factor that reduced RR to immunotherapy (37.5% RR in nivolumab alone compared with 15.9% in the nivolumab-cannabis group (
conclusionIn this retrospective analysis, the use of cannabis during immunotherapy treatment decreased RR, without affecting PFS or OS and without relation to cannabis composition. Considering the limitations of the study, further prospective clinical study is needed to investigate possible interaction. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Although the data are retrospective and a relation to cannabis composition was not detected, this information can be critical for cannabis users and indicates that caution is required when starting immunotherapy.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.