Every October, the breast cancer community recognizes its warriors. But cannabis often gets left out of that conversation despite playing a major role for some survivors. Scientific research may not yet provide convincing evidence, but people fighting breast cancer often report that cannabis eases symptoms and side effects from chemotherapy and radiation treatments. So its role should be highlighted.
Breast Cancer Cases On the Rise
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women worldwide, with more than 300,000 new cases expected in the U.S. by 2025. As traditional treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery continue to improve survival rates, many patients are exploring complementary therapies to manage symptoms. One increasingly popular option is cannabis, which has gained attention for its potential role in pain management, nausea relief, and even anti-tumor effects. With expanded access to cannabis for Ohioans, more of those diagnosed have a chance to explore its benefits in their battle against breast cancer.
Which Traditional Drugs Treat Breast Cancer?
Tamoxifen
Tamoxifen (Nolvadex, Soltamox) is a pharmaceutical designed to treat breast cancer. Research shows that taking tamoxifen for 5 years can lower the chance of breast cancer recurrence and new breast cancers in women with ER-positive or ER-unknown breast tumors. Doctors also use tamoxifen to treat breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and to prevent breast cancer in healthy women with high odds of developing the disease.
However, there is a risk to this treatment option: women who take tamoxifen are more likely to develop cancer of the uterus (endometrial cancer) than women not treated with this drug.
Aromatase Inhibitors
Aromatase inhibitors are medications that treat breast cancer in both early and advanced stages. If you’re past menopause, they prevent your body from making estrogen. Doctors prescribe them to treat ER-positive breast cancer, either following tamoxifen treatment or by themselves. One serious side effect of aromatase inhibitors is osteoporosis, which can lead to bone fractures. Other side effects include hot flashes, muscle and joint pain, memory problems, and a greater chance of heart disease.
Several other hormone therapy drugs treat breast cancer, as well. Fulvestrant (Faslodex) and (Fareston) are used to treat metastatic breast cancer. Like tamoxifen, toremifene blocks certain effects of estrogen and is used as a treatment for advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Fulvestrant blocks estrogen receptors temporarily.
Palbociclib (Ibrance) and ribociclib (Kisqali) are targeted therapies sometimes used in combination with an aromatase inhibitor or fulvestrant in ER-positive women.
These treatments can affect healthy cells and can cause a number of side effects ranging from loss of appetite (cachexia), nausea and vomiting to mouth sores, hair loss, diarrhea, weight gain, and early menopause.
Understanding Cannabis and Its Components
Cannabis contains over 100 different chemical compounds called cannabinoids. Two of the most well-known are THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol). THC is the psychoactive component of cannabis that causes the “high” sensation, while CBD is non-psychoactive and is often associated with medicinal benefits.
In breast cancer care, both THC and CBD are being investigated for their potential to help manage symptoms associated with cancer and its treatments. Researchers are particularly interested in the anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, and anti-nausea effects of cannabinoids.
Cannabis in Symptom Management
One of the primary reasons patients with breast cancer turn to cannabis is for symptom relief. Chemotherapy and radiation often come with a range of side effects, including nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and chronic pain. Traditional medications, such as opioids and anti-nausea drugs, are dangerously addictive and can cause unpleasant side effects of their own.
For many women in Ohio, cannabis offers an alternative to these traditional treatments. In 2021, MedicateOH interviewed Wendy J., a breast cancer patient and cannabis advocate living in Columbus, Ohio. Throughout her treatment, she’s used legal medical marijuana to help treat her symptoms. Here’s a little more about her journey:
Q: When you were first diagnosed with breast cancer, did you have the option to try cannabis? Had you tried it before and if so, did you think it would help in your treatment?
“Yes, I not only had the option, I had access to cannabis through a medical program and knowledgeable physicians in the cannabis industry guiding me. I thought it would help and I still believe it’s working.”
Q: What side effects did it help with the most?
“I didn’t need chemotherapy. I had 2 tumors prior to surgery that I was trying to reduce the size of. But after learning the type of cancer I had, I immediately stopped the high doses. The physician I worked with explained a lot to me about the plant being female and full of phytoestrogen, which was contraindicated at that time secondary to having an estrogen sensitive cancer. But I was encouraged to ‘microdose’ to keep cell homeostasis and my ECS full versus depleting it completely.
After my mastectomy and with the cancer being ‘gone’, I was able to return to full use of cannabis which I use for anxiety, sleep, and ‘discomfort’. I don’t get enough ‘pain’ relief unless I use FECO. I do not have any associated ‘pain’; more discomfort from surgeries/ body morphing and angst.”
Q: Are there any particular cannabis products you found helpful in treatment? (Brand or strain names, forms of administration, creams, tinctures, etc.)
“Girl Scout Cookies! My go to for sleep and ‘discomfort’ and high in caryophyllene. Blue Dream, for sleep. It’s a hybrid but full of myrcene. I also use topicals of CBD and/ or THC on my affected breast for an inhibitor to local cancer recurrence. I declined radiation after 3 positive lymph nodes were found. That’s within the long term studies done by the ACS on needing radiation. According to those studies, if a patient has three or less positive nodes, they may be able to forgo radiation. Newer studies err on the side of caution (and fear) and recommend you get radiation. The radiation oncologists wanted to give me radiation. Radiation diminishes the chance of local recurrence. But I declined.
So I have chosen to put cannabis topicals on that area, on the affected side, under the arm, my neck and across the breast where radiation would have been directed. I am taking a chance, that I know. My research assured me we have CB1 & 2 receptors in our skin and I believe in my choice of treatment, which I will continue for the rest of my life. This has one side effect: greenish tint stains in my bras, and I can live with that.”
Q: What advice would you give to new breast cancer patients considering trying cannabis for the first time as part of their treatment?
“Make sure you are making INFORMED decisions that you feel confident in. If you know a physician that has VAST cannabis knowledge concerning breast cancer or other cancers, be sure to get their input. Go to conferences, do your homework! I cannot stress that enough. Cannabis is not right for all types. Be familiar with the works of Dr. Deb Kimless, Dr. Christina Sanchez, and Mara Gordon, founder of Aunt Zelda’s.
Read Project CBD articles on BC until your brain hurts.”
Q: Any other important points about cannabis and breast cancer you think readers should know?
“First, know what type of breast cancer you have, then go forward with alternative treatment. I would never suggest anyone forgo traditional therapy. Use cannabis as an adjunct to normal breast cancer protocol.
It’s imperative you understand the plant BEFORE trying to do this on your own. I was lucky and had connections to cannabis physicians that have studied BC and cannabis for decades. Knowledge is power, ignorance is fear.”
OSU Study Reveals More Women Using Cannabis to Manage Symptoms
A survey conducted by the Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center revealed that an increasing number of breast cancer patients are using cannabis to manage their symptoms, particularly for pain and nausea.
In the study published in January 2024, cannabis use was slightly more prevalent in those undergoing active treatment relative to those who were not undergoing active treatment. Those under active treatment were more likely to use cannabis medicinally. Relative to those without cancer-related pain, persons with pain under medical control or uncontrolled pain were twice as likely to use cannabis.
The study included patients like Julie Anderson, a breast cancer survivor from Columbus, Ohio, who found relief through medical cannabis during chemotherapy. She noted, “Cannabis helped me manage the unbearable nausea and pain that no other medication could alleviate.”
Like Wendy’s, Julie’s story highlights the role cannabis can play in improving the quality of life for women undergoing breast cancer treatment.
Cannabis as an Anti-Cancer Agent?
While most of the current research focuses on symptom relief, there is growing interest in the potential for cannabis to act as an anti-cancer agent. Some preclinical studies suggest that cannabinoids may inhibit the growth of cancer cells and promote apoptosis (cell death).
For Ohioans seeking alternative therapies, one piece of advice is to consult with your care team before incorporating cannabis into their treatment plans. Dr. Emily Jenkins, an oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic advises, “While cannabis can offer symptom relief, it should never replace conventional treatments. Discussing cannabis use with your healthcare team ensures you receive comprehensive and safe care.”
For many who are battling breast cancer in Ohio, cannabis offers hope in managing the often debilitating side effects of cancer treatments. While research into its anti-cancer properties is still in its early stages, cannabis has shown promise as a complementary therapy, particularly in alleviating pain, nausea, and inflammation.
As the conversation surrounding medical cannabis continues to evolve, breast cancer patients should be encouraged by these findings and work closely with their care teams to look at the best possible options available.
Additional Resources
Resources for breast cancer patients and survivors have become abundant in past years, but surprisingly few of these support services address medical marijuana as a treatment aid. Many cannabis dispensaries and makers launch fundraising and awareness initiatives around cannabis and breast cancer during the month of October, often offering both specific education programs and product discounts. Check your local dispensary to see what they may be offering. Patients who want counseling about cannabis as part of their breast cancer treatment may want to check out:
The American Cannabis Nurses Association
The Society of Cannabis Clinicians
Want to tell your medical cannabis advocacy story? Connect with us.
###
