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Current Oncology
Volume 25
Issue 3
10.3747/co.25.3983
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Current Oncology is published by MDPI from Volume 28 Issue 1 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher in Open Access under a CC-BY (or CC-BY-NC-ND) licence, and they are hosted by MDPI on mdpi.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Multimed Inc..
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Article

Rates of Cannabis Use in Patients with Cancer

by
Kevin Martell
1,*,
A. Fairchild
2,
B. LeGerrier
2,
R. Sinha
1,
S. Baker
2,
H. Liu
3,
A. Ghose
4,
I.A. Olivotto
1 and
M. Kerba
1
1
Department of Oncology, University of Calgary, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, 1331 29th Street NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N2, Canada
2
Department of Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
3
Department of Oncology, Central Alberta Cancer Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
4
Department of Oncology, Jack Ady Cancer Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Curr. Oncol. 2018, 25(3), 219-225; https://doi.org/10.3747/co.25.3983
Submission received: 3 March 2018 / Revised: 5 April 2018 / Accepted: 9 May 2018 / Published: 1 June 2018

Abstract

Background: A comprehensive assessment of cannabis use by patients with cancer has not previously been reported. In this study, we aimed to characterize patient perspectives about cannabis and its use. Methods: An anonymous survey about cannabis use was offered to patients 18 years of age and older attending 2 comprehensive and 2 community cancer centres, comprising an entire provincial health care jurisdiction in Canada (ethics ID: HREBA-17011). Results: Of 3138 surveys distributed, 2040 surveys were returned (65%), with 1987 being sufficiently complete for analysis (response rate: 63%). Of the respondents, 812 (41%) were less than 60 years of age; 45% identified as male, and 55% as female; and 44% had completed college or higher education. Of respondents overall, 43% reported any lifetime cannabis use. That finding was independent of age, sex, education level, and cancer histology. Cannabis was acquired through friends (80%), regulated medical dispensaries (10%), and other means (6%). Of patients with any use, 81% had used dried leaves. Of the 356 patients who reported cannabis use within the 6 months preceding the survey (18% of respondents with sufficiently complete surveys), 36% were new users. Their reasons for use included cancer-related pain (46%), nausea (34%), other cancer symptoms (31%), and non-cancer-related reasons (56%). Conclusions:The survey demonstrated that prior cannabis use was widespread among patients with cancer (43%). One in eight respondents identified at least 1 cancer-related symptom for which they were using cannabis.
Keywords: cannabis; marijuana; symptoms cannabis; marijuana; symptoms

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Martell, K.; Fairchild, A.; LeGerrier, B.; Sinha, R.; Baker, S.; Liu, H.; Ghose, A.; Olivotto, I.A.; Kerba, M. Rates of Cannabis Use in Patients with Cancer. Curr. Oncol. 2018, 25, 219-225. https://doi.org/10.3747/co.25.3983

AMA Style

Martell K, Fairchild A, LeGerrier B, Sinha R, Baker S, Liu H, Ghose A, Olivotto IA, Kerba M. Rates of Cannabis Use in Patients with Cancer. Current Oncology. 2018; 25(3):219-225. https://doi.org/10.3747/co.25.3983

Chicago/Turabian Style

Martell, Kevin, A. Fairchild, B. LeGerrier, R. Sinha, S. Baker, H. Liu, A. Ghose, I.A. Olivotto, and M. Kerba. 2018. "Rates of Cannabis Use in Patients with Cancer" Current Oncology 25, no. 3: 219-225. https://doi.org/10.3747/co.25.3983

APA Style

Martell, K., Fairchild, A., LeGerrier, B., Sinha, R., Baker, S., Liu, H., Ghose, A., Olivotto, I. A., & Kerba, M. (2018). Rates of Cannabis Use in Patients with Cancer. Current Oncology, 25(3), 219-225. https://doi.org/10.3747/co.25.3983

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