For many cancer survivors, cannabis has become part of how they manage symptoms such as pain, nausea and anxiety. Medical cannabis is now legal in 47 states, Washington, D.C., and three U.S. territories, and its use continues to grow among both the general population and cancer survivors. Yet despite its increasing use, little is known about how survivors and their health care providers view medical cannabis or how comfortable they are discussing it.
A new study from VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center surveyed 395 cancer survivors and 62 cancer care providers to better understand those perspectives. Published in the Journal of Cancer Education, the study found that while survivors and providers agreed on many aspects of medical cannabis, they differed in their awareness of potential risks and their comfort discussing it.
"Both cancer survivors and health care providers share some similarities in their perceptions about using medical cannabis, but there are also gaps in perceived risk awareness and patient-provider communication," said Sunny Jung Kim, Ph.D., the study's corresponding author, a researcher in the Cancer Prevention and Control program at VCU Massey and an associate professor at the VCU School of Public Health.
