Crohn’s Disease is an inflammatory condition characterised by unrestrained gastrointestinal inflammation. While the cause of Crohn’s Disease is unclear, research has shown conclusively that sufferers of Crohn’s disease have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer in their lifetime. Researchers at the University of South Carolina have recently completed a study (2) that investigated the effect of THC on decreasing the chance of developing colorectal cancers for patients with Crohn’s Disease.
The study used mice that had been induced with colon cancer through a well-established technique of carcinogen injection. THC was administered twice a week and then halted after the third cycle to investigate the effect of THC on the cancer initiation. The results showed that the administration of THC can prevent the development of colitis-associated colon cancer in mice
These results are extremely promising for those suffering from Crohn’s Disease. It is important to note that these results are based on a study carried out on mice. While comparison can be made, a full clinical trial on human patients is needed before conclusive results can be found.
2) Becker, W., et al. (2020) Activation of Cannabinoid Receptor 2 Prevents Colitis-Associated Colon Cancer through Myeloid Cell De-activation Upstream of IL-22 Production. iScience. doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2020.101504