Cannabis and how it affects people with cancer

Assessing Benefits and Harms of Cannabis and Cannabinoid Use Among a Cohort of Cancer Patients Treated in Community Oncology Clinics

NIH-funded research Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11160512

This project follows adults with cancer treated in community oncology clinics to learn how cannabis use relates to symptoms, side effects, and cancer treatments.

Quick facts

Grant typeU01 cooperative agreement
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionWake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Winston-Salem, United States)
Project IDNIH-11160512 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you join, researchers will follow people with cancer who get care at participating community oncology clinics and ask about their cannabis use, symptoms, and treatment experiences over time. The team will link patient reports with medical records and may collect blood samples to measure cannabinoid levels and possible drug interactions. The study will compare health outcomes, symptom control, and adverse effects between patients who use different cannabis products and those who do not. Findings aim to clarify short- and long-term benefits and risks of cannabis during cancer care.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults (21+) with cancer receiving care at participating community oncology clinics, including people with breast cancer, who currently use or are considering cannabis are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Children, people not treated at participating community oncology clinics, or patients with no interest in cannabis use are unlikely to be eligible or benefit directly from participation.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: Results could help patients and clinicians make clearer, safer choices about using cannabis during cancer treatment.

How similar studies have performed: Previous small and mostly observational studies and patient reports suggest symptom relief for some people, but high-quality evidence is limited and results have been mixed.

Where this research is happening

Winston-Salem, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Breast Cancer PatientCancer Patient
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.