Cannabinoids may offer hope for oral cancer pain, according to a presentation at the recent American Pain Society (APS) annual meeting in Tampa, FL.
A new cannabinoid-based medication may have some promise for providing meaningful pain relief, according to a lecture by Brian Schmidt, DDS, MD, PhD, a professor at the New York University College of Dentistry and School of Medicine.
"Oral cancer is one of the most painful and debilitating of all malignancies, and opioids, the strongest pain medications we have, are an imperfect solution," Dr. Schmidt said. "They become dramatically less effective as tolerance to these drugs develops."
Clinical trials are now underway for a drug produced directly from marijuana plants (brand name Sativex). It is administered as an oral spray and shows promise for treating cancer pain. The drug is available in Canada and Europe for treating spasticity from multiple sclerosis and is in phase III clinical trials in the U.S. for treatment of cancer pain. Dr. Schmidt is a clinical investigator for the Sativex trials.
Now considered to be the fastest-increasing cancer in the U.S., oral and oropharyngeal malignancies usually begin in the tongue. The human papillomavirus transmitted through oral sex, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption are the leading causes of this increase in oropharyngeal cancer. In the U.S., some 43,000 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed every year and the disease is more widespread worldwide with 640,000 new cases a year.
"The only way we can hope to reduce the devastating impact of oral cancer pain is to fund more research to help those who suffer or will suffer from this ruthless disease," Dr. Schmidt said at the APS meeting. He added that half of oral cancer patients do not survive five years after diagnosis.
"While it's too early to conclude the cannabinoid medication will provide effective cancer pain relief, we do know that humans possess numerous cannabinoid receptors in the brain and body, which regulate a significant amount of human physiology," he said. "So, there is hope that cannabinoid-based medications can become effective pain relievers for cancer patients."
