Citation

Nugent SM, Ashare RL, Cullen J, Haque R, Hu J, Lee RT, Meghani SH, Potosky AL, Reboussin BA, Romero-Sandoval A, Wagoner KG, Wang Y, Worster B, Filipski KK, Freedman AN. 2026. Leveraging the national cancer institute's collaborative efforts to understand the benefits and harms of cannabis use among individuals with cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Pubmed: 41746285 DOI:10.1093/jnci/djag057

Abstract

Cannabis use for symptom management among patients with cancer has increased significantly in recent years, with many reporting benefits for pain, anxiety, sleep, nausea, appetite as well as other symptoms. However, rigorous prospective data on the potential benefits and harms of cannabis use in this population are lacking. This Commentary describes a United States National Cancer Institute (NCI)-led initiative addressing this research gap by supporting five prospective observational studies evaluating the benefits and harms of cannabis use among a large, heterogeneous samples of patients with cancer undergoing active systemic treatment. We provide an overview of each study, including cancer type, treatment modalities, inclusion/exclusion criteria, data collection methods, and both patient-reported and cancer-related outcomes.
Published by Oxford University Press 2026.

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Rich Lee seeks to understand heart failure and metabolic diseases that accompany human aging, and translate that understanding into therapies. Lee is an active clinician, regularly treating patients at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

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