The ingredient that causes people on cannabis
to feel the euphoria or “high” is associated with accelerating cancer growth in
patients with human papilloma virus (HPV)-positive head and neck squamous cell
carcinoma.
Researchers at the University of
California San Diego School Of Medicine demonstrated in animals and human cell line, showed how the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the bloodstream enhances
the growth of HPV positive squamous cell cancer cells. When activated, p38 MAPK pathway prevents cell
death (apoptosis), thus allowing HPV positive squamous cell cancer cells to
grow uncontrollably.
The team also analyzed blood samples from
patients with HPV-related throat cancer and similar to the cell lines, the
blood samples showed p38 MAPK activation and loss of cancer cell death in
tumors from patients with THC in their blood.
The researchers stated that there is now
scientific evidence that daily marijuana use can drive tumor growth in HPV-related
head and neck cancer.
The study was published in Clinical Cancer Research in January 2020.
The study was published in Clinical Cancer Research in January 2020.
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