Oral Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2018

Cancer Pain and Cannabis (#13)

Stephen Clarke 1
  1. Northern Sydney LHD, St Leonards, NSW, Australia

Medicinal cannabis has increasing appeal for cancer patients.  It has potential use in the management of anorexia, cancer treatment, management of cancer pain and in treatment of cancer induced nausea and vomiting.  The interpretation of it effectiveness has been limited by a lack of incorporation of conventional drug development practices into the evaluation of the numerous forms of medicinal cannabis that are available.  This includes a lack of identification of optimal doses and schedules of treatment as well as route of administration.  In the studies that have been undertaken, there is some suggestion that medical cannabis may add to conventional pain killers, however these data require confirmation in large, randomised trials.