Cancer patients all around the world talk about how beneficial cannabis is as an option for their treatment. Many of our doctors recognize the potential benefits of cannabis as a part of integrative therapy, but it’s important to note, not as a cure in itself.
“Integrative therapy is when patients come to see me when they want to add alternative or complementary therapies to their conventional treatments,” says Dr. Junella Chin, an integrative cannabis specialist.
When Is It Right For Me?
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When we’re talking about cannabis for relief during cancer treatment, it’s important to know that each patient is different based on their age, size, and medical history, and based on the other treatments they’ve undergone or are undergoing. Some alternative therapies can even come in the way of ongoing conventional treatments, causing them not to work or to work less effectively. That’s why it’s so important to talk to your oncologist before looking for any integrative therapies, including cannabis.
At Dr. Chin’s office, assessing the individual patient is the first step. “When a patient comes sees me through a referral through their oncologist or from a friend, word of mouth, the first step is to look at their medical records, do a full history and physical exam. You’re still assessing the patient as a regular physician’s visit,” says Dr. Chin.
“Then we talk about different medications that they’re on that might’ve worked, different medications that they’re on that might not have worked. Their lifestyle. Whether they’re still working, whether they’re at home, and we can recommend,” Dr. Chin continues. “We look at the patient’s medication list. We look at the patient’s lifestyle, and we decide and recommend a medical cannabis formulation that will work well for them.”
And researchers have been able to get some pretty specific data on marijuana substances and best practices using the plant. “In a state like New York where it’s very highly regulated we are measuring patient results and patient data through the milligrams of cannabis that they’re taking, and we know exactly what the composition of the medical cannabis plant has in these New York dispensaries,” Dr. Chin.
Dr. Junella Chin on how medical marijuana alleviates pain
“We know percentages of cannabinoids, percentages of terpenes, and how each patient might react differently,” Dr. Chin continues. “If I’m treating a child with cancer, versus treating a middle-aged man who is still working during chemotherapy and radiation, or an elderly patient that’s towards the end of their life and is at home resting.”
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