WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Generally, many cancer patients use cannabis to manage side effects of their treatment, such as nausea, pain, poor sleep, and anxiety. Against this backdrop, Dr. Lurdes Queimado is leading the first study to see if smoking cannabis affects recovery after head and neck cancer surgery.
She and Dr. Mark Mims, supported by the Presbyterian Health Foundation in Oklahoma City, will study 220 adult patients who undergo surgery and reconstructive procedures. These surgeries often affect both appearance and important functions like swallowing and breathing.
During this research, patients will be tracked for six months after their surgery, rather than just reviewing old medical records. Cannabis use will also be confirmed through blood tests, instead of relying only on self-reports, which makes the study more reliable.
Based on her earlier research, Dr. Queimado believes that smoking cannabis may slow wound healing. Her initial findings in non-cancer patients suggest that cannabis smokers experience more inflammation and weaker immune responses, both of which could interfere with recovery.
The study will compare four groups- cannabis users, cannabis plus tobacco users, tobacco-only users, and people who use neither. The researchers will also monitor how cannabis use affects responses to other treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation.
'I think this study has the potential to have major implications for other types of cancer and surgeries, but also for chronic diseases because inflammation and immunity play a significant role in many conditions, such as autoimmune diseases,' Queimado said.
'I think there will be many opportunities for growth into other areas once we have established the framework of this study.'
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