Cannabis in Palliative Medicine

Abstract

Palliative care is a specialized medical care that focuses on quality of life for patients with serious illnesses. In the realm of palliative care and symptom management, there is growing interest in the role for cannabis-based medicine. There is some evidence to support the use of cannabinoids for the palliation of some symptoms and quality of life issues. Most notably, research supports the efficacy of cannabinoids for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, though the evidence for phytocannabinoids is lacking. Moreover, cannabis use in the treatment of neuropathic pain is supported by several small high-quality studies. There is great interest in cannabis-based medicine to aid in the management of other symptoms such as anorexia, cachexia, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, and delirium, among others that are prevalent in palliative care patients. Though there are limited studies for these various applications of cannabis, the data is not conclusive, and patients’ treatment goals must be carefully considered prior to the administration of medical cannabis. Further research is needed to better understand the possible benefits of medical cannabis as well as the safety, side effects, and drug interactions.