Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36011049›Full record

ReviewCancers2022

Controversial Link between Cannabis and Anticancer Treatments-Where Are We and Where Are We Going? A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Bianca Hanganu, Diana Elena Lazar, Irina Smaranda Manoilescu, Veronica Mocanu, Doina Butcovan, Camelia Liana Buhas, Andreea Silvana Szalontay, Beatrice Gabriela Ioan

Open access · goldAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cancers, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
2.6field-weighted citation impact, top 11% 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

10 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Cannabis and Cannabinoids in Adults With Cancer: ASCO Guideline.Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology · 2024
    Guideline
  4. Article
  5. Potential Anticancer Effect ofInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Review
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

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Bianca HanganuDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania.
Diana Elena LazarDepartment of Oncology, Municipal Hospital "St. Hierarch Dr. Luca", 601048 Onesti, Romania.ORCID 0000-0003-3635-6466
Irina Smaranda ManoilescuDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania.
Veronica MocanuDepartment of Morpho-Functional Sciences (Pathophysiology), "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16, Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania.ORCID 0000-0002-9330-1691
Doina ButcovanDepartment of Morpho-Functional Sciences (Morphopathology), "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16, Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania.
Camelia Liana BuhasDepartment of Morphological Disciplines, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, 410087 Oradea, Romania.
Andreea Silvana SzalontayDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania.
Beatrice Gabriela IoanDepartment of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania.
Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy · ROUniversity of Oradea · RO

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesCannabinoids are currently used in cancer patients primarily for their pain-relieving and antiemetic properties. The aim of our review was to synthesize all available data of studies evaluating the therapeutic efficacy of cannabis in combination with oncological treatments in cancer patients and to explore ongoing studies with different goals and medical areas registered in the field of oncology worldwide. MATERIALS AND

methodsThis study was performed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. A search using MEDLINE/PubMed database was performed between 1 January 2006 and 1 March 2022. Search terms included the following: cannabidiol, cannabis, CBD, dronabinol, endocannabinoids, medical marijuana, nabiximols, nabilone, THC, and cancer. All studies that examined the efficacy of cannabis administered during oncological treatments, regardless of cancer localization, subtype, and sample size, were considered eligible.

resultsIn three studies, cannabis was administered to patients with glioblastoma, and in two other studies, cannabis was used in combination with immunotherapy in various cancer subgroups. The results of the clinical trials in cancer patients are not sufficient to draw conclusions at this time. Interestingly, several other studies addressing the systemic effects of cannabinoids in cancer patients are currently listed in the U.S. National Library of Medicine's registry on the ClinicalTrials.gov website. However, only one of the registered studies examined the efficacy of cannabinoids as a potential option for systemic cancer treatment.

conclusionsAlthough cannabis is touted to the public as a cancer cure, clinical trials need to clarify which combinations of chemotherapeutic agents with cannabinoids are useful for cancer patients.

Indexed as

cancercannabidiolcannabisdronabinolendocannabinoidsmedical marijuananabilonenabiximols

Identifiers

PMID36011049
PMCPMC9406903
OpenAlexW4292694592

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.