Marijuana use associated with lower rates of prostate cancer
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Key takeaways:
- Former marijuana users had significantly fewer reports of prostate cancer compared with nonusers
- Multivariate analysis showed former users had significantly lower odds of prostate cancer compared with nonusers.
Active and former marijuana users reported significantly lower prevalence of prostate cancer compared with nonusers, according to data presented at ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.
Results from the cross-sectional study showed white users and older users also had substantially reduced rates of prostate cancer compared with nonusers with similar demographics.
“These results allow us to hypothesize that the use of marijuana may have resulted in activation of cannabinoid receptors on prostate cancer cells and slowed tumor progression, resulting in lower rates of self-reported prostate cancer in the survey,” Turab J. Mohammed, MD, hematology and oncology fellow at Moffitt Cancer Center, told Healio.
Background and methodology
Preclinical data suggest cannabinoids have antitumor effects on prostate cancer, according to background information provided by researchers.
“Exploring pathways to reduce the prevalence or slow tumor progression can benefit patients individually and help alleviate strain on the health care system,” Mohammed said.
Researchers conducted their study to investigate the potential links between marijuana use and the frequency of prostate cancer. They used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health to build their study cohort.
The final analysis included data from 2,503 individuals collected between 2002 to 2020. Study investigators labeled participants as current, former and never users. Nonusers made up the majority (53.4%) of the study cohort, followed by former users (40.8%) and current users (5.8%).
Marijuana variables included age of first use, number of days used in previous 30 days, use of medical marijuana and legality in state of residence.
Demographic variables included age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, marital status, income, insurance and residence status, sexual identity, cigarette and alcohol use, and whether they had served in the armed forces.
Participants self-reported their prostate cancer.
Results and next steps
Researchers reveled that significantly fewer current users (31.7%) and former users (31.6%) had prostate cancer compared with nonusers (39.9%; P < .001).
White users had lower rates of prostate cancer than white nonusers (28.9% vs. 38.3%; P < .001), and users above the age of 65 years also had decreased rates of prostate cancer compared with nonusers in the same demographic (36.4% vs. 42.4%; P = .016).
A multivariate analysis showed former marijuana users had significantly lower odds of prostate cancer compared with nonusers (OR = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.62-0.9). Current users had a similar association, but the researchers noted that statistical significance could not be determined, potentially due to low cohort numbers.
More research on this potential relationship should be conducted using approved medical marijuana, according to Mohammed.
“Medical marijuana may be prescribed to patients with prostate cancer for pain relief, improved appetite and/or nausea,” Mohammed said. “We need prospective studies to document possible differences in outcomes among patients treated with supportive medical marijuana therapy vs. those who were not prescribed medical marijuana.”
For more information:
Turab J. Mohammed, MD, can be reached at turab.mohammed@moffitt.org.
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Mohammed TJ, et al. Abstract 101. Presented at: ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium; Jan. 25-27, 2024; San Francisco.
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