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Marijuana 'fights breast cancer'

19/11/2007

A compound in marijuana could help to fight breast cancer, scientists have claimed today.

The researchers from the California Pacific Medical Centre Research Institute (CPMCRI) say that the compound CBD could stop the spread of breast cancer cells.

As such they argue that CBD may be the first non-toxic agent to show promise in treating metastatic forms of breast cancer.

In tests the researchers found that CBD could inhibit the activity of a gene called Id-1, which is thought to be responsible for the aggressive spread of cancer cells from the original tumour site to the rest of the body.

"Right now we have a limited range of options in treating aggressive forms of cancer," said the study's lead author Dr Sean McAllister.

"Those treatments, such as chemotherapy, can be effective but they can also be extremely toxic and difficult for patients. This compound offers the hope of a non-toxic therapy that could achieve the same results without any of the painful side effects."

Writing in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, the researchers say that their discovery could also target other forms of cancer.

"We know that Id-1 has also been found at higher levels in other forms of cancer," said senior researcher Dr Pierre-Yves Desprez.

"So what is exciting about this study is that if CBD can inhibit Id-1 in breast cancer cells, then it may also prove effective at stopping the spread of cancer cells in other forms of the disease, such as colon and brain or prostate cancer."

CBD does not have any psychoactive properties but the researchers warn that people with breast cancer should not smoke marijuana as it is highly unlikely that effective concentrations of CBD could be reached by smoking cannabis.

Commenting on the study, Dr Joanna Owens, science information officer at Cancer Research UK, said that the research is at a very early stage and further studies involving humans will be necessary to see whether CBD's beneficial effects can be replicated.

"Several cancer drugs based on plant chemicals are already used widely, such as vincristine – which is derived from a type of flower called Madagascar Periwinkle – and is used to treat breast and lung cancer," she added.

"It will be interesting to see whether CBD will join them."