Cancer

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Cancer is a disease in which specific cells of the body grow uncontrollably and and have the ability to infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue. 

There are two main types of cancer:

• Hematologic (blood) cancers: Examples include leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
• Solid tumor cancers: Involve organs or tissues. The most common solid tumors are breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers.

 Signs & Symptoms of Cancer or ChemoRadiation Therapy may include: 

• Fatigue 
• Unintentional weight loss or gain > 10 pounds 
• Poor appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and difficulty swallowing or eating
• Chronic Pain or Neuropathy 
• Skin changes 
• Chronic cough or hoarseness
• Unusual bleeding or bruising 
• Change in bowel or bladder habits
• Fever or nights sweats
• Headaches
• Vision or hearing changes 

A number of studies have shown that medical marijuana may help in managing the following: 

Chronic Pain and Neuropathy:  Use of medical marijuana may decrease pain signals in the brain and reduce inflammation.  

Nausea and Vomiting:  Dronabinol and nabilone are synthetic cannabinoids the FDA has approved for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. 

Appetite and Weight Loss:  THC helps stimulates appetite and medical marijuana is an effective treatment for cancer-related anorexia.

References:

1.  Update on cannabis and cannabinoids for cancer pain

2.  Cannabis for cancer - illusion or the tip of an iceberg: a review of the evidence for the use of Cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids in oncology

3.  Cannabis sativa L. and Non-psychoactive Cannabinoids: Their Chemistry and Role against Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Cancer

4.  Cannabinoids and Cancer Chemotherapy-Associated Adverse Effects