Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34094937›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in oncology2021

A Phase 2 Randomised Clinical Trial Assessing the Tolerability of Two Different Ratios of Medicinal Cannabis in Patients With High Grade Gliomas.

Janet Schloss, Judith Lacey, Justin Sinclair, Amie Steel, Michael Sughrue, David Sibbritt, Charles Teo

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in oncology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
6.6field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

31 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 59 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Health-related quality of life in patients receiving medicinal cannabis: systematic review and meta-analysis of primary research findings 2015-2025.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2026
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  5. Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) guidelines: cannabis for psychological symptoms including insomnia, anxiety, and depression.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2023
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  8. The effects of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol on sleep in cancer patients.Clinical & translational oncology : official publication of the Federation of Spanish Oncology Societies and of the National Cancer Institute of Mexico · 2026
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  15. Adverse events associated with the use of cannabis-based products in people living with cancer: a systematic scoping review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2024
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  17. Cannabinoids in the treatment of glioblastoma.Pharmacological reports : PR · 2024
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Janet SchlossNational Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, Australia.
Judith LaceyNational Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM) Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Justin SinclairNational Institute of Complementary Medicine (NICM) Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Amie SteelAustralian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Michael SughruePrince of Wales Private Hospital, Centre for Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
David SibbrittAustralian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Charles TeoPrince of Wales Private Hospital, Centre for Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Prince of Wales Hospital · AUUniversity of Technology Sydney · AUWestern Sydney University · AUEndeavour College of Natural Health · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCannabis for cancer is very topical and, given the use of illicit cannabis preparations used in this vulnerable population, research investigating standardised, quality-assured medicinal cannabis is critical to inform clinicians and assist patient safety.

methodsA randomized trial involving adult patients diagnosed with a high-grade glioma, no history of substance abuse, liver or kidney damage or myocardial infarction were eligible for inclusion in a tolerability study on two different ratios of medicinal cannabis. Baseline screening of brain morphology, blood pathology, functional status, and cognition was conducted. A retrospective control group was used for comparison for secondary outcomes.

resultsParticipants (n=88) were on average 53.3 years old. A paired t-test assessed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for Brain Cancer (FACT-Br) between groups from baseline to week 12 found that the 1:1 ratio favoured both physical (p=0.025) and functional (p=0.014) capacity and improved sleep (p=0.009). Analysis of changes from baseline to week 12 also found 11% of 61 participants had a reduction in disease, 34% were stable, 16% had slight enhancement, and 10% had progressive disease. No serious adverse events occurred. Side effects included dry mouth, tiredness at night, dizziness, drowsiness.

conclusionThis study demonstrated that a single nightly dose of THC-containing medicinal cannabis was safe, had no serious adverse effects and was well tolerated in patients. Medicinal cannabis significantly improved sleep, functional wellbeing, and quality of life. CLINICAL

trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) http://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=373556&isReview=true, identifier ACTRN12617001287325.

Indexed as

cannabis (marijuana)glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)high-grade glioma (HGG)medicinal marijuanaquality of lifetolerability

Identifiers

PMID34094937
PMCPMC8176855
OpenAlexW3165654986

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.