Cannabis use linked to higher colon cancer death rate

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Frequent cannabis use may increase a person’s risk of dying from colon cancer, according to a recent U.S. study. 

And the outlook was substantially grimmer for those with cannabis addiction prior to their cancer diagnosis, said the study. They were over 20 times more likely to die within five years of diagnosis. 

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, looked at health records from 1,088 colon cancer patients treated across the University of California Health system and compared the data of daily marijuana users to those of non-users. 

The study found that people who used marijuana daily before their diagnosis had a 56% chance of dying within five years of their cancer diagnosis, which was 11 times higher than those who weren’t dependent on cannabis.  

For those who were diagnosed with cannabis addiction prior to their cancer diagnosis, the study found they were 24.4 times more likely to die compared to their peers within five years of cancer treatment. 

The study said previous findings on the relationship between cannabis and cancer outcomes remain mixed and may depend heavily on patterns of use.

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Some studies have linked cannabis use to positive outcomes for cancer patients, particularly with studies involving the anti-tumour effects of cannabinoids such as THC, while other studies associate chronic or high-intensity cannabis exposure with tumour growth. 

THC may also block cancer-fighting T-cells.  

Those with cannabis use discorder may also be dealing with depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues, which can compromise adherence to cancer treatments, the researchers said. 

Last year, colorectal cancer was the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in Canada, representing 10% of all cancer cases nationwide, according the Canadian Cancer Society.  

The organization says about one in 16 Canadian men will develop colorectal cancer during their lifetime and one in 38 will die from it. The disease affects one in 18 Canadian women with one in 43 dying from colorectal cancer. 

For more health news and content around diseases, conditions, wellness, healthy living, drugs, treatments and more, head to Healthing.ca – a member of the Postmedia Network.