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Researchers on the College of California San Diego Faculty of Drugs have discovered that people with colon most cancers and a documented historical past of excessive hashish use had been greater than 20 instances extra more likely to die inside 5 years of analysis in comparison with these with out such a historical past. The findings are printed within the journal Annals of Epidemiology.
“This study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that heavy cannabis use may have underrecognized impacts on the immune system, mental health and treatment behaviors—all of which could influence cancer outcomes,” mentioned lead creator Raphael Cuomo, Ph.D., affiliate professor within the Division of Anesthesiology at UC San Diego Faculty of Drugs.
The analysis workforce drew on digital well being data from greater than 1,000 colon most cancers sufferers handled throughout the College of California Well being system between 2012 and 2024. They evaluated how most cancers outcomes differed primarily based on sufferers’ documented hashish use earlier than analysis, controlling for age, intercourse and indicators of illness severity comparable to tumor staging and most cancers biomarkers.
The evaluation discovered:
Sufferers with a historical past of hashish use dysfunction (CUD) had a considerably larger five-year mortality price (55.88%) in comparison with sufferers with out CUD (5.05%).
Sufferers recognized with CUD previous to most cancers analysis had been 24.4 instances extra more likely to die inside 5 years of analysis in comparison with these with out CUD.
Whereas some laboratory research have proven anti-tumor results from sure hashish compounds, the authors word that real-world use is extra complicated. Given the growing prevalence and social acceptance of hashish use, additionally they emphasize the necessity to additional examine its long-term results in medically susceptible populations.
“High cannabis use is often associated with depression, anxiety and other challenges that may compromise a patient’s ability to engage fully with cancer treatment,” mentioned Cuomo, who can also be a member of UC San Diego Moore’s Most cancers Middle.
“However, this isn’t about vilifying cannabis. It’s about understanding the full range of its impacts, especially for people facing serious illnesses. We hope these findings encourage more research—and more nuanced conversations—about how cannabis interacts with cancer biology and care.”
Extra info:
Raphael E. Cuomo, Hashish use dysfunction and mortality amongst sufferers with colon most cancers, Annals of Epidemiology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2025.04.012
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College of California – San Diego
Quotation:
Analysis alert: Excessive hashish use linked to elevated mortality in colon most cancers sufferers (2025, April 28)
retrieved 28 April 2025
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