Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42757353›Full record

ReviewCureus2026

Efficacy of Cannabinoids in Improving Nutritional Outcomes in Chemotherapy Patients: A Scoping Review.

Omar Suleiman, Hrithik Saride, Kaila Gagne, Xenia Balulescu, Natalie Elazar, Jameel Kara, Melannie Ribeiro, Rebecca Riekki, Emily Rodman, Johnathan Wang and 1 more

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

11 authors.

Omar SuleimanNutrition, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Clearwater, USA.
Hrithik SarideNutrition, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Clearwater, USA.
Kaila GagneNutrition, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Clearwater, USA.
Xenia BalulescuNutrition, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Natalie ElazarNutrition, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Jameel KaraNutrition, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Clearwater, USA.
Melannie RibeiroNutrition, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Rebecca RiekkiNutrition, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Emily RodmanNutrition, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Johnathan WangNutrition, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Clearwater, USA.
Stephanie N PetroskyNutrition, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Herbal cannabis has been utilized for thousands of years for its medicinal properties, including cardiovascular regulation, reproductive benefits, modulation of inflammation, and pain relief. Cannabinoids have also emerged as a therapeutic option for managing chemotherapy-related side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and loss of appetite. Understanding the unique responses of patients to chemotherapy and cannabinoids with respect to nutritional outcomes can refine oncological treatment protocols and significantly improve patients' quality of life. However, a preliminary search of MEDLINE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found no existing or ongoing systematic or scoping reviews on the use of cannabinoids for key nutritional indices such as appetite, weight, and side effect management in patients undergoing chemotherapy. This scoping review aimed to assess the relationship between cannabinoid use and the reduction of side effects in cancer patients undergoing treatment, with the aim of identifying a positive association with improved dietary intake and thus nutritional status. Nine peer-reviewed original research publications met the critical appraisal criteria for inclusion. Data relating to weight loss, appetite, nausea, vomiting, and reported quality of life were analyzed. The included studies evaluated several cannabinoid interventions. Two small studies reported improvements in appetite, with one also demonstrating significant weight gain, whereas most studies found no significant differences in these nutritional outcomes compared with placebo or standard treatments. Limitations included small sample sizes and high dropout rates. This review highlights the complex and variable role of cannabinoids in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Overall, the evidence for improving nutritional outcomes remains inconsistent, underscoring the need for more rigorous research to determine the optimal patient population, dosing regimens, and long-term safety of cannabinoids. Clinicians should continue to monitor emerging evidence and consider cannabinoid therapy on an individualized basis when managing chemotherapy-related symptoms.

Indexed as

appetitecancer-cachexiaenergy-balancenauseathc/cbd

Identifiers

PMID42757353
PMCPMC13585438

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.