Treating Cancer With Medical Marijuana in North Carolina
Cancer is one of the most common terminal illnesses in the US, and the number one leading cause of death in North Carolina.
There are many different types of cancers and degrees of severity, from relatively harmless and treatable, to complex and inoperable. Cancers cause an unnatural growth and spread of abnormal cells, leading to mutations and duplications of cancers, called metastasizing, where they can spread to more areas in the body.
When diagnosed, cancer is categorized into 4 stages:
Stage 0: Cancer remains in the place that it started and has not spread to nearby tissues, often curable.
Stage I: Cancer has not grown deeply into nearby tissues, and has not spread to the lymph nodes, called early-stage cancer.
Stage II & III: Cancer has grown into nearby tissues and may have spread to lymph nodes, but typically not to other areas of the body.
Stage IV: Cancer has spread to other areas of the body such as the organs and lymph nodes, known as advanced or metastatic cancer.
How are Cancers Treated?
Different Cancers Require Different Treatments
Because of the variability in the type of cancer, its stage, and where it has spread in
the body, treatment options will be different among individual patients. In some cases, medications can be taken to help reduce tumors or small growths, while in other cases more severe treatments like radiation therapy or chemotherapy will be required.
The type of treatment that will be available will be relative to the type of cancer you have, and in many cases a combination of treatment options may be exercised.
Using Medical Marijuana for Cancer
Although there is not enough evidence to suggest that cannabis can cure all cancers, there is considerable evidence that it may very well help with different kinds of cancers, and may even be an appropriate treatment option for certain cancers.
Certain cannabinoids have been identified with anti-cancerous properties, promoting apoptosis and inducing cancerous cellular death through autophagy, or self-destruction.
Alongside promoting the removal of cancerous cells, cannabis doesn’t seem to destroy healthy cells along the way. More research is needed to fully understand what cancers can benefit from medical marijuana treatments, in addition to other therapeutic benefits.
Can Medical Marijuana Help with Cancer Treatments?
Help Offset Cancer Treatment Side Effects with Medical Marijuana
Aside from the potential for treating some cancers, medical marijuana offers a world of benefits that cancer patients can take advantage of.
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Cancer therapies like chemotherapy and radiation are very harmful to the body, though in some cases provide the only effective way to help fight cancers. Medical marijuana is known to help with many of the side effects that these therapies produce, including nausea, pain, appetite, and stress.
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When taken alongside traditional therapies, medical marijuana can offer a lot of relief for cancer patients.
Medical Marijuana and Quality of Life
Cancer can be a life-threatening and serious diagnosis, and if you or a loved one have been diagnosed with cancer, it can be one of the most stressful periods in a person’s lifetime.
Medical marijuana offers a variety of medical and therapeutic benefits that cancer patients need, and while many of the big-ticket items will be addressed, often not enough attention is put towards stress and anxiety.
A diagnosis of cancer can be frightening and can cause incredible amounts of stress, which is not good for health regardless of a cancer diagnosis, but especially bad in the case of a cancer diagnosis.
Medical marijuana may also provide the ability to relax, destress, or reduce anxiety, which can promote a better state-of-mind to help address the rest of life’s needs.
Get Your North Carolina Marijuana Card
Cancer will be approved as a qualifying condition for a medical marijuana certification in North Carolina when the program is officially up and running.
It’s our hope that patients will soon be able to apply for a medical marijuana certification and begin receiving the compassionate treatment that they deserve. Reserve your medical marijuana evaluation today, and get $25 off when we can start approving patients!