Cannabis use and its effects for people getting immunotherapy for cancer
Official title: Assessing benefits and harms of cannabis use in patients treated with immunotherapy for cancer: a prospective cohort study
Funded at State University of New York at Buffalo · NIH-11159447 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project follows people with cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor treatments to learn how using cannabis affects symptoms, immune health, and disease course.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University of New York at Buffalo NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Amherst, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $629,354 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CA286811-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11159447 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with cancer who are receiving or recently started immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy (within about three months) and who can attend one of the participating cancer centers are best suited to join.
✕Less likely to help
People not treated with immunotherapy, pediatric patients, or those who neither use nor plan to use cannabis are unlikely to benefit directly from this study.
What this research studies
You would join a one-year study across multiple cancer centers enrolling about 450 people who are receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Researchers will collect regular information on cannabis use, symptoms like pain and anxiety, medical side effects, immune blood tests, and cancer outcomes over 12 months. The study will compare people who use cannabis with those who do not to track possible benefits, harms, and changes in immune markers. The team builds on prior surveys showing many cancer patients use cannabis but there is little long-term data about its effects during immunotherapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help patients and clinicians make informed decisions about using cannabis during immunotherapy by clarifying potential benefits and risks.
How similar studies have gone: Previous large surveys have shown many cancer patients use cannabis, but few longitudinal studies have examined its impact on immune function or cancer outcomes during immunotherapy.
Where this research is happening
-
State University of New York at Buffalo
Amherst, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ashare, Rebecca — State University of New York at Buffalo
- Study coordinator: Ashare, Rebecca
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.