TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence, reasons for use, perceived benefits, and awareness of health risks of cannabis use among cancer survivors – implications for policy and interventions
AU - Osaghae, Ikponmwosa
AU - Chido-Amajuoyi, Onyema Greg
AU - Talluri, Rajesh
AU - Shete, Sanjay
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Background: There is increasing discourse on the use of cannabis as a palliative for cancer/cancer-treatment-related symptoms. We described the prevalent reasons for use, perceived benefits, and awareness of health risks from cannabis use for cancer management among cancer survivors. Methods: Cross-sectional survey of adult (≥ 18 years) cancer survivors from 41 US states receiving treatment at a comprehensive cancer center. Results: Of 1,886 cancer survivors included, 17.4% were current users, 30.5% were former users, and 52.2% were never users of cannabis. Among survivors who currently or formerly used cannabis after their cancer diagnosis (n = 510), the reasons for cannabis use in cancer management were; sleep disturbance (60%), pain (51%), stress (44%), nausea (34%), and mood disorder/depression (32%). Also, about a fifth (91/510) of survivors used cannabis to treat their cancer. Across the different symptoms assessed, over half of the survivors who reported a reason for using cannabis currently or after their cancer diagnosis perceived that cannabis was helpful to a great extent in improving their symptoms. However, of the 167 survivors who reported awareness of potential health risks from cannabis use, the awareness of adverse health risks associated with cannabis use was low: suicidal thoughts (5%), intense nausea and vomiting (6%), depression (11%), anxiety (14%), breathing problems (31%), and interaction with cancer drugs (35%). Conclusion: Prevalence of cannabis use among survivors was notable, with most reporting a great degree of symptomatic improvement for the specified reason for use. However, only a few were aware of the health risks of cannabis use during cancer management. Implications for Cancer Survivors: With more cancer survivors using cannabis as a palliative in managing their cancer-related symptoms, future guidelines and policies on cannabis use in cancer management should incorporate cannabis-based interventions to minimize the inadvertent harm from cannabis use during cancer treatment among survivors.
AB - Background: There is increasing discourse on the use of cannabis as a palliative for cancer/cancer-treatment-related symptoms. We described the prevalent reasons for use, perceived benefits, and awareness of health risks from cannabis use for cancer management among cancer survivors. Methods: Cross-sectional survey of adult (≥ 18 years) cancer survivors from 41 US states receiving treatment at a comprehensive cancer center. Results: Of 1,886 cancer survivors included, 17.4% were current users, 30.5% were former users, and 52.2% were never users of cannabis. Among survivors who currently or formerly used cannabis after their cancer diagnosis (n = 510), the reasons for cannabis use in cancer management were; sleep disturbance (60%), pain (51%), stress (44%), nausea (34%), and mood disorder/depression (32%). Also, about a fifth (91/510) of survivors used cannabis to treat their cancer. Across the different symptoms assessed, over half of the survivors who reported a reason for using cannabis currently or after their cancer diagnosis perceived that cannabis was helpful to a great extent in improving their symptoms. However, of the 167 survivors who reported awareness of potential health risks from cannabis use, the awareness of adverse health risks associated with cannabis use was low: suicidal thoughts (5%), intense nausea and vomiting (6%), depression (11%), anxiety (14%), breathing problems (31%), and interaction with cancer drugs (35%). Conclusion: Prevalence of cannabis use among survivors was notable, with most reporting a great degree of symptomatic improvement for the specified reason for use. However, only a few were aware of the health risks of cannabis use during cancer management. Implications for Cancer Survivors: With more cancer survivors using cannabis as a palliative in managing their cancer-related symptoms, future guidelines and policies on cannabis use in cancer management should incorporate cannabis-based interventions to minimize the inadvertent harm from cannabis use during cancer treatment among survivors.
KW - Cancer
KW - Cancer survivors
KW - Cannabis
KW - Cannabis benefits
KW - Cannabis risks
KW - Marijuana
KW - Oncology
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U2 - 10.1007/s11764-023-01526-7
DO - 10.1007/s11764-023-01526-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 38158514
AN - SCOPUS:85180730510
SN - 1932-2259
JO - Journal of Cancer Survivorship
JF - Journal of Cancer Survivorship
ER -