According to the Central Statistical Office data from 2020, cancer is the second most common cause of death in Poland . Research into alternative cancer therapies is being conducted around the world, and hemp phytocannabinoids, including: CBD is one of the groups of substances being tested. Scientific publications demonstrate the beneficial effects of cannabis in alleviating the side effects of invasive cancer treatments.

Cancer incidence in Poland and the EU

We know from the Central Statistical Office report that in 2020, 196,000 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in Poland. Among women, breast cancer was the most common (25.3%), followed by lung cancer (11.5%), and among men, lung cancer was the most common (18.5%), followed by prostate cancer (18.3%). .

These statistics reflect a pan-European trend. In 2020, 4 million new cases of cancer were recorded across the EU. Among women, the most common diagnosis was breast cancer (27.8%), and among men, prostate cancer (22.2%) . What distinguishes Poland from other European countries is the high mortality rate, especially among patients suffering from breast cancer .

At the same time, taking into account the broader context, it can be seen that the cancer mortality rate in the EU is much higher for men than for women (1,076,587 to 865,965 deaths in 2020) . This is translated, among others, men have a greater tendency to delay visiting a doctor.

Cancer – how does the disease develop?

Cancer occurs as a result of genetic damage to the body's cells. They are associated with abnormal cell division, which is the result of gene mutations .

Healthy cells in the human body are systematically replaced. New cells are created in the process of cell division and replace old or damaged cells, which in turn die. This process occurs in every tissue of the body. Thanks to this, wounds heal and the body regenerates.

The natural process of cell division may stop working properly for various reasons, and damaged cells, instead of dying, divide, grow and form tumors. Some of these tumors may be cancerous .

Important features of cancer cells include:

- they are not subject to apoptosis , i.e. their division does not stop and they do not die when they "should", although they do not receive a signal to grow or they receive a signal to stop division,

The transformation of a healthy cell into a cancer cell is a long and complex process that may remain hidden for decades. The development of cancer is a consequence of changes in many genes at the same time, including: in genes related to the growth, multiplication, differentiation and death of body cells.

the immune system does not fight them because it does not recognize them as a threat - they are the body's own cells, only distorted; some cancers inhibit the immune response by secreting a special enzyme ,
they are able to surround themselves with blood vessels through which they absorb nutrients, which allows them to grow much faster; there are therapeutic methods that involve stopping the growth of blood vessels around the tumor,
they divide rapidly , and the genetic stability of transformed cells decreases - an increasing number of genes may undergo mutations .

Benign and malignant tumor

Tumors are divided into malignant and benign. Malignant tumors are those in which accumulated cancer cells penetrate into healthy tissues adjacent to the tumor and can spread throughout the body. This spread leads to outbreaks in other places, often far from the initial outbreak. These are the so-called metastasis, and the process is called metastasis .

Benign tumors do not have the ability to spread to the surrounding tissues and do not metastasize. After surgical removal of the disease focus - the tumor - the tumor usually does not reappear, as is the case with malignant tumors. However, they can also pose a serious threat to health and life due to their size or location (e.g. the brain).

Cancer and the immune system

Cancer cells have the ability to interfere with the immune system's response to a threat. Scientists propose viewing cancer as diseases of genes and the immune system, and the field observing these relationships is called immuno-oncology. .

Every day, changes occur in the genetic material of human body cells. This may happen under the influence of environmental factors, as well as internal factors, e.g. related to metabolic processes. A properly functioning immune system can respond efficiently and precisely to such changes.

If the immune system does not function properly, the process of dividing and transforming cancer cells is not stopped in time - they begin to multiply intensively. This is despite the fact that the body's cells have repair and rescue systems that are activated when cellular DNA is damaged.

Errors in this system lead to mutations, also in the growth signaling system, growth arrest and cell death. If there is an imbalance in these processes, various diseases can develop, including cancer .

Hemp cannabinoids in oncology

CBD – regulation of the immune system

The role of the immune system is to scan the body for threats (e.g. pre-cancerous cells) and eliminate them. If this defense is weak, distorted cells can multiply and form tumors.

This knowledge is used in the treatment of cancer - there are oncological drugs that strengthen the immune system and teach it to fight cancer. Cannabidiol (CBD) also strengthens and activates the immune system - it can help it recognize cancer cells as a threat .

Cannabis in the treatment of cancer pain

Research reports confirm the possibility of using hemp cannabinoids in the treatment of pain. Scientific reports cover many types of pain: headache, pain resulting from injuries and cancer pain.

CBD and other cannabinoids activate the endocannabinoid system, reducing the processing of pain signals. The mechanism of action involves the regulation of neurotransmitters. Hemp phytocannabinoids also have anti-inflammatory effects.

Medical cannabis containing CBD is used to relieve cancer pain in patients who do not respond to conventional pain therapy.

In the analysis of selected studies involving cancer patients, we read that in 4 out of 5 study groups, cannabinoids had an impact on reducing the pain felt . All researchers note the need to conduct research on larger groups of people suffering from cancer, which would allow determining the optimal dosage of CBD in relieving cancer pain.

CBD alleviates the side effects of chemotherapy

The most frequently mentioned side effects of chemotherapy include:

diarrhea,
nausea and vomiting,
anxiety,
feeling of being broken,
lack of appetite,
dysregulated circadian cycle.

Data collected by researchers shows that hemp cannabinoids (including CBD) alleviate or even eliminate vomiting and diarrhea following chemotherapy. They can also have a positive effect on the well-being of sick people: they reduce the level of anxiety .

Most scientists researching the use of medical cannabis in the treatment of cancer indicate the need to conduct research on a larger scale because they recognize its therapeutic potential.