Cannabinoids can inhibit tumor cell growth in highly invasive cancers

December 26th, 2007
Press Release
Journal of the National Cancer Institute

Washington, Dec 26 (ANI): A new study has found that Cannabinoids, the active components in marijuana, may aid in inhibiting tumor cell growth in highly invasive cancers.

Although cannabinoids are used in reducing the side effects of cancer treatment, such as pain, weight loss, and vomiting, evidences indicate that they might even help in suppressing tumor invasion.

The cellular mechanisms behind this process are still not known.

Robert Ramer, Ph.D., and Burkhard Hinz, Ph.D., of the University of Rostock in Germany investigated whether and by what mechanism cannabinoids hold back tumor cell invasion.

It was found that Cannabinoids did suppress tumor cell invasion and stimulated TIMP-1 expression.

TIMP-1 is an inhibitor of a group of enzymes involved in tumor cell invasion.

To our knowledge, this is the first report of TIMP-1-dependent anti-invasive effects of cannabinoids, the authors said.

They added: This signaling pathway may play an important role in the antimetastatic action of cannabinoids, whose potential therapeutic benefit in the treatment of highly invasive cancers should be addressed in clinical trials.

The study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (ANI)