HealthTree Study: How Do Myeloma Patients Feel About Using Cannabis?

Cancer patients are often using cannabis to help reduce symptoms related to cancer or its treatments, like pain and nausea. Many of these people have found that using cannabis instead of opioids helps reduce the risk of addiction to opioids. To learn more about myeloma patients' use of opioids, click here.

However, because of healthcare provider bias, a lack of high-quality data, and regulatory concerns, many providers are hesitant to recommend cannabis use for patients. 

What are myeloma patients' attitudes and experiences toward cannabis use for symptom management? Learn insights from a study hosted in HealthTree Cure Hub Registry led by Dr. Karen Sweiss. The results from the study were presented at the ASH 2024 conference. 

Over 500 Myeloma Patients Share Insights About Cannabis Use in Managing Symptoms

A study conducted by Karen Sweiss, PharmD of the University of Illinois at Chicago, in collaboration with HealthTree Foundation, explored how effective and safe myeloma patients felt the use of cannabis was for managing pain. 

The study included over 500 myeloma patients who anonymously responded to a 23-question survey within HealthTree Cure Hub Registry. Findings revealed that: 

• 30% of the patients had used cannabis before their myeloma diagnosis
• 62% reported using it regularly (consistent use for at least one month)
• 62% of these patients described their usage as recreational
• 38% used cannabis for medicinal purposes to alleviate symptoms or treat an illness

During myeloma treatment, 48% of the patients continued to use cannabis, with about half of this group using it regularly. The study highlighted a trend where patients who had used cannabis before being diagnosed with myeloma were more likely to maintain its use during treatment. 

What Types of Cannabis Products Did Myeloma Patients Use? 

The study results showed that the cannabis products used by myeloma patients included: 

Benefits of Taking Cannabis Reported by Myeloma Patients 

The benefits myeloma patients reported from using cannabis were: 

• 30% of patients indicated that using cannabis helped them avoid taking opioids for pain.
• 18% of patients reported they were able to reduce the dose of opioids.
• 39% of patients stated that cannabis helped them reduce using healthcare services.
• 43% of patients had completely or mostly effective improvement in physical symptoms, 38% had improved mental health, and 36% had improved quality of life. 

Other symptoms myeloma patients used cannabis for included: 

When used for pain, 27% of patients used cannabis daily, 36% of patients used it 2-3 times a week, and 10% of patients used it 4-6 times per week.  

Side effects of using cannabis included dry mouth, feeling foggy, and dizziness. 

Barriers Myeloma Patients Experienced to Using Cannabis 

Certain barriers kept or had the potential to keep patients from using cannabis. These included: 

• 38% of patients were worried about cannabis interacting with other treatments they were on, having side effects, or dosing issues
• 25% of patients were concerned about the high cost
• Only 3% of patients were concerned about becoming addicted to cannabis 

75% of patients obtained cannabis under a prohibitive policy. A prohibitive policy refers to strict regulatory limitations given to a product, making it difficult or expensive to use. 20% of patients grew their own cannabis.  

Among the patients who did not use cannabis during myeloma treatment, half considered it for symptom control. However, several barriers prevented them from using it, including unawareness of cannabis as a potential treatment option, a lack of information and education about it, and concerns about legal issues or workplace consequences.

Interestingly, 56% of patients reported that they never discussed the use of cannabis with their oncologist. Among those who did, 87% initiated the conversation themselves. Only 14% of oncologists recommended cannabis to assist with managing symptoms such as pain, sleep disturbances, nausea, vomiting, and anxiety.

Most patients found that their oncologist was only "somewhat" or "not at all" knowledgeable about discussing the risks and benefits of cannabis use. Furthermore, only 14% of the patients reported that their oncologist referred them to a specialist, such as a pain management doctor, to further discuss cannabis use.

Summary 

Myeloma patients often view cannabis positively and benefit from its use during treatment. One notable advantage is that patients have reported that cannabis helps reduce needing opioids, thereby lowering the risk of opioid addiction. However, many patients find that their oncologists lack the necessary knowledge to effectively discuss the risks and benefits of cannabis.

This situation underscores the importance of better education for doctors regarding cannabis use and additional research to evaluate the safety of cannabis. If you have a question about the use of cannabis in managing cancer-related symptoms, ask your doctor for a referral to a pain management specialist called a palliative care provider who can offer guidance. 

To stay up to date with more ASH 2024 news, visit our site: HealthTree Conference Coverage.

Advance Myeloma Research Through HealthTree Cure Hub Registry Surveys 

To participate in myeloma research like the study above and improve patient outcomes, click the button below to access simple surveys in HealthTree Cure Hub Registry.

Participate in Myeloma Surveys

Source: 

• First Ever National Survey on Patient-Reported Efficacy and Safety of Cannabis in Patients with Multiple Myeloma