Cannabis chemical could help treat pancreatic cancer, study finds

According to a new study, a cannabis chemical could have a "major impact" on the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), pancreatic cancer has a survival rate of only nine percent over five years, and is expected to be the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States by 2020 .

However, a Harvard University study conducted by researchers at the Dana-Farber University Cancer Institute and published in Frontiers of Oncology revealed that FBL-03G – a "non-cannabinoid and non-psychoactive cannabis derivative "- had a significant therapeutic potential" In the treatment of the disease.

The FBL-03G is a derivative of a "flavonoid" cannabis, a natural compound that is found in plants, fruits and vegetables and which is known to have certain advantages for the health. But this study has shown that the flavonoid derivative in question could treat both localized and advanced pancreatic cancer.

"The most significant finding is that the delivery of flavonoids targeting tumors, derived from cannabis, has allowed the destruction of local and metastatic tumor cells, significantly increasing the survival of pancreatic cancer," said Yahoo. one of the researchers in the study, Dr. Wilfred Ngwa. "This is of major importance, since pancreatic cancer is particularly resistant to current therapies."

The study suggests that FBL-03G is able to attack other cancer cells and stop their growth. "We were quite surprised that the drug could inhibit the growth of cancer cells in other parts of the body, representing metastases, which were not targeted by the treatment," said Dr. Ngwa.

In the end, it would mean lengthening the life expectancy of people with pancreatic cancer, which is often diagnosed at a later stage and has already spread.

Until now, the study has only been tested on small animals, but after the positive results, the researchers recommended to continue studies with the ultimate goal of clinical translation.

The next step for the researchers is to complete the preclinical studies, according to Dr. Ngwa, who hopes that they will be completed by 2020.

For more information on pancreatic cancer, you can read our explanatory here.

L & # 39; Independent contacted Dr. Ngwa for a comment.