TY - JOUR
T1 - Benefits and burdens of vaporized botanical cannabis flower bud for cancer-related anorexia
T2 - a qualitative study of the experiences of people with advanced cancer enrolled as inpatients in a Phase I/IIb clinical trial and their family carers
AU - Luckett, Tim
AU - Razmovski-Naumovski, Valentina
AU - Garcia, Maja
AU - Phillips, Jane
AU - Chye, Richard
AU - Noble, Beverley
AU - Fazekas, Belinda
AU - Martin, Jennifer
AU - Agar, Meera
AU - Cannabinoids for Cancer Symptoms Research Group (CCSRG),
PY - 2025/8
Y1 - 2025/8
N2 - Background: Clinical trials are underway of medicinal cannabis for cancer-related anorexia, using various formulations and modes of administration. Objectives: To explore the benefits and burdens of vaporized medicinal cannabis flower bud for anorexia from the perspectives of trial participants with advanced cancer and their carers. Design: People with advanced cancer enrolled as inpatients in a Phase I/IIb clinical trial, and their carers participated in face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Analysis used the framework method. Setting: Inpatient specialist palliative care. Results: Ten out of 12 trial participants and 6 carers were interviewed. All perceived benefits to eating but, in two cases, this arose from reduced nausea rather than appetite stimulation. Carers sometimes perceive more benefit than patients. Psychoactive effects were well-tolerated and even enjoyed. Burdens included throat irritation and adverse smell and taste, but these were transient. Conclusions: Vaporized flower bud warrants comparison with other formulations/modes of medicinal cannabis for cancer-related anorexia.
AB - Background: Clinical trials are underway of medicinal cannabis for cancer-related anorexia, using various formulations and modes of administration. Objectives: To explore the benefits and burdens of vaporized medicinal cannabis flower bud for anorexia from the perspectives of trial participants with advanced cancer and their carers. Design: People with advanced cancer enrolled as inpatients in a Phase I/IIb clinical trial, and their carers participated in face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Analysis used the framework method. Setting: Inpatient specialist palliative care. Results: Ten out of 12 trial participants and 6 carers were interviewed. All perceived benefits to eating but, in two cases, this arose from reduced nausea rather than appetite stimulation. Carers sometimes perceive more benefit than patients. Psychoactive effects were well-tolerated and even enjoyed. Burdens included throat irritation and adverse smell and taste, but these were transient. Conclusions: Vaporized flower bud warrants comparison with other formulations/modes of medicinal cannabis for cancer-related anorexia.
KW - anorexia
KW - cancer
KW - cannabis
KW - caregivers
KW - clinical trial
KW - qualitative research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105014460827&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/10966218251372439
DO - 10.1177/10966218251372439
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105014460827
SN - 1096-6218
VL - 28
JO - Journal of Palliative Medicine
JF - Journal of Palliative Medicine
IS - 9
ER -
