This is a key preclinical advance to improve the quality of life of cancer patients who have received chemotherapy.
Researchers from the Institute of Translational Medicine Research (CONICET–Universidad Austral) published in the magazine Psychopharmacology Preclinical evidence suggests that certain oral formulations of cannabis derivatives may prevent neuropathic pain associated with paclitaxel chemotherapy. Although the study was conducted in an experimental model, the results represent a key step toward new complementary strategies for cancer patients.
Led by Doctors Delia Soriano and María Florencia Coronel, the work tested two clinically used formulations composed of THC (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol) y CBD (cannabidiol)The main active compounds of the cannabis plant. One of the formulations used had equal parts THC and CBD (1:1 ratio), and the other, a low amount of THC and twenty times more CBD (1:20 ratio). This difference is key: CBD has anxiolytic and anti-inflammatory properties, while THC has analgesic effects but can produce psychotropic effects such as euphoria, confusion, or mood changes.
In the study, these formulations were administered concurrently with the initiation of treatment with paclitaxel, one of the most commonly used chemotherapy drugs for breast, ovarian, and lung cancer, which can cause neuropathy and pain as adverse effects. The animals that received the THC and CBD formulations—provided by the Jujuy-based public company Cannava SE— They did not develop hypersensitivity to touch or cold.These signs were comparable to the pain reported by patients who develop this neuropathy. Furthermore, none of the formulations exacerbated other adverse effects of chemotherapy or showed liver toxicity.
Although the results still need to be validated in humans, this work stands out for using formulations and doses similar to those already used in patients with other pathologies, administered orally and of pharmaceutical grade.
“Our results open the door to a preventive, effective and safe alternative, using cannabis-based products already approved for other pathologies and adapted to the forms of administration used in cancer patients,” the authors explain.
This study is complemented by clinical research by the same team, who documented the magnitude of the problem in different types of cancer:
Taken together, these findings reinforce the need to move towards clinical trials that evaluate how this type of pain develops and the effectiveness of new treatments such as the use of cannabis derivatives in adult patients, with the aim of improving the quality of life of those undergoing cancer treatments.
From the Pain Research Group of the Institute of Translational Medicine Research (CONICET–Universidad AustralI coordinate a research line focused on cancer-related pain, with preclinical and clinical studies on chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. Together with Doctors Pablo Brumovsky and Marcelo Villar, we are part of a team with over 25 years of experience, recently recognized with the 2024 IASP Award. Within this framework, along with Dr. Delia Soriano, a postdoctoral fellow, we are investigating the use of phytocannabinoids as preventative agents through an agreement with the company Cannava SE. Given the complex landscape of the Argentine scientific system, it is crucial to sustain this research, which has a direct impact on patients' quality of life.
Learn more about this job: HERE
Listen to the interview with Dr. Coronel: AUDIO
*Doctor of Biomedical Sciences. Independent Researcher at CONICET and Director of the Cancer Pain Laboratory at the Institute of Translational Medicine Research (CONICET – Universidad Austral).
