CBD Study - CBD vs Aggressive Cancers

This study has been out for about a year, but until April 15th, was only available as an abstract. It is important because it shows how CBD can reduce the aggressiveness of certain nasty cancers like Triple Negative breast cancer and some colon cancers. These cancers, although very different, all share a common gene, ID1, that makes then aggressive, fast-spreading and hard to treat. To put it simply, CBD "downregualtes" the ID1 gene, making the cancers easier to treat.


Cannabidiol Treatment Results in a Common Gene Expression Response Across Aggressive Cancer Cells from Various Origins. (USA) (full – 2021)
Cannabidiol Treatment Results in a Common Gene Expression Response Across Aggressive Cancer Cells from Various Origins

Background: We previously reported that cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabinoid with a low toxicity profile, downregulated the expression of the prometastatic gene inhibitor of DNA binding 1 (ID1) in cancer cells, leading to inhibition of tumor progression in vivo. While CBD is broadly used, including in the self-medication of cancer patients, and CBD-based therapies are undergoing clinical evaluation for cancer treatment, its mechanisms of action are still poorly understood.

Methods: In this study, using microarray analysis and Western blot analysis for validation, we attempted to identify the full spectrum of genes regulated by CBD across various aggressive cancer cell lines, including the breast, brain, head and neck, and prostate.

Results: We confirmed that ID1 was a major target downregulated by CBD and also discovered that CBD inhibited FOXM1 (Forkhead box M1), a transcriptional activator involved in cell proliferation, while simultaneously upregulating GDF15 (growth differentiation factor 15), a cytokine associated with tissue differentiation.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that, by modulating expression of shared key cancer-driving genes, CBD could represent a promising nontoxic therapeutic for treating tumors of various origins.


In 2017, this came out-

“Regulation of Id-1 Gene Expression in Aggressive Breast Cancer and Glioblastoma Cells Using Cannabinoid Compounds” where “This study shows that Id-1 downregulation strongly correlates with a reduced tumor aggressiveness and that Id-1 might represent a potent therapeutic target for breast cancer and glioblastoma.” https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/249335894.pdf



Ten years ago, the press (briefly) had some coverage about CBD and its effect on breast cancer cells-

Pot compound seen as tool against cancer (news – 2012) Pot compound seen as tool against cancer

“When McAllister and Desprez exposed the (“triple negative” breast cancer) cells to cannabidiol in a petri dish, the cells not only stopped acting "crazy" but they also started to revert to a normal state… The researchers stressed cannabidiol works only on cancer cells that have these high levels of ID-1 and these do not include all cancerous tumors but, rather, aggressive, metastatic cells. But they've found such high levels in leukemia, colorectal, pancreatic, lung, ovarian, brain and other cancers.” From “Pot compound seen as tool against cancer” (SFGate - 2012)

And even longer ago-

Cannabidiol as a novel inhibitor of Id-1 gene expression in aggressive breast cancer cells. (full - 2007) https://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/6/11/2921.long

“CBD represents the first nontoxic exogenous agent that can significantly decrease Id-1 expression in metastatic breast cancer cells leading to the down-regulation of tumor aggressiveness.”


CBD has been shown to be very safe, even in large amounts, so how many times does this ability to fight cancer need to be "discovered" before it is put into use in "conventional" medicine?

Of course, some folks aren't waiting for the doctors to catch on!

CBD Oil - Study- Old Lady with Lung Cancer Took CBD Oil...

Granny