Cannabis has long been in the news as a potential cure, or at least palliative treatment, for various forms of cancer. Research is ongoing on how and if this actually works. However, there are strong suggestions that cannabis could help patients with mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma Patient Says Cannabis Oil Cured Him

Andy Ashcraft was diagnosed with mesothelioma and was told that his condition was terminal and that palliative care was the only remaining option. He suffered from pleural mesothelioma and had already defeated the odds in terms of survival rate, something that he credited to taking part in a clinical trial. However, it seemed that this no longer worked and that the end was now truly in sight.

His wife, however, felt one other treatment should be tried, which was cannabis oil. She had personally looked into the alternative treatment option. As California residents, they were able to apply successfully to the Medical Marijuana Program. Since starting it, Andy seems to have made a miraculous recovery.

Andy, unlike other cancer patients, used cannabis oil rather than smoking joints. The liquid, which is highly concentrated, can be vaporized or ingested. It contains THC (tetrahydracannabinol) and CBD (cannabidoil), which promote anti-cancer and anti-tumor activity in the body. Cannabis oil is a concentrated form of THC and CBD and is therefore far more potent. This is so potent, in fact, that it is important to start in very small doses before building up the dosage. If done properly, ceramides start to build up in the body, which are waxy molecules. These place cancer cells under metabolic pressure, promoting their death, while at the same time improving the immune system.

What is surprising about Ashcraft’s story is that he completely ceased all other forms of medical treatment. When he had his latest scan, the tumor had not grown at all. Most importantly, he feels great and has a good quality of life.

Ashcraft, now 68, was diagnosed in 2010, at which point the cancer was already so advanced that surgery was no longer an option. He tried using Amatuximab for three years, but this eventually stopped being effective. At that point, new tumor growth was experienced. In general, mesothelioma can never be 100% cured, or at least not with current medical technology. However, doctors have agreed that, if the tumors do not grow any further, Ashcraft could enjoy another 20 to 30 years of happy, healthy life.

The Controversy Regarding Cannabis Oil

Medicinal marijuana continues to be a hot topic for debate, in spite of the presence of significant evidence that it is actually beneficial in the treatment of various conditions. Nevertheless, medicinal marijuana is now becoming legal in more and more states, which means that public perception is changing.

Insys Therapeutics received U.S. Food and Drug Administration Orphan Drug Designation for its cannabidoil product, which is a CBD agent. The THC agent Marinol had already received approval for the stimulation of appetite and relief of nausea.

Meanwhile, although cannabis oil has been used in many different cultures as a treatment, and although many people accept that it could help in cancer treatment, medical scientists are only recently starting to take note. In fact, the American Cancer Society has so far refused to endorse cannabis oil as a type of cancer treatment. While they acknowledge that scientists have shown that it can lead to a reduction in cancer growth and even the death of some cancer cells, they feel that these tests are not conclusive, nor do they prove that the disease can be cured or even controlled.

Additionally, they have spoken out against the various online sources that claim that cannabis oil can cure cancer. They believe that this has placed people in considerable danger, as they sometimes refuse effective treatments due to information they have read online. Additionally, it may provide them with false hope.

At the same time, Ashcraft continues to take the cannabis oil three times per day. The cost of doing this legally is around $1,000 per month. On top of the cannabis oil, he takes a doTerra supplement twice per day. He believes that, despite what the American Cancer Society says, he is living proof of the fact that cannabis oil does work.

In Ashcraft’s case, he has baffled both his family physician and his oncologist. Neither of the two discouraged or encouraged his use of the oil, simply empowering him to make his own decisions. Ashcroft has noticed that his physicians are clearly interested, but they feel it is difficult to really study him, due to the attitude of medical societies in terms of cannabis oil. However, he feels that the fact that he is able to move, breathe, and live again is all the proof that is needed.

His doctors agree that the prognosis for Ashcroft was very poor and that they had advised his wife to place him in a hospice. He has defied the odds, and he is once again living a happy life, above and beyond the results he experienced with the experimental drug. Whether or not this is a temporary retrieve remains to be seen but, presently, he is able to live his life as he wants to again.

Understanding Cannabis Treatment

The research into marijuana is extensive, albeit controversial. It is FDA-approved only for certain uses and, although medicinal marijuana is now approved in many states, the drug itself remains illegal. The research studies that have been completed have only proven that THC helps to increase appetite and lower nausea, which is why it is approved for the treatment of certain disorders.

The plant has been studied for generations, however. In 1990, 20 years of research into the plant was pulled together and reviewed. What was found was that the plant could help provide people relief from nausea associated with chemotherapy, as well as increase the appetite of AIDS patients. However, other studies noted that pharmaceutical treatments were as effective, if not more so, in achieving those results. In 2006, a different study was completed to review whether cancer patients noted an increase in their appetite after taking low doses of THC. No notable differences were found between the placebo control group and the THC group.

Additionally, reports have been released on the potentially harmful substances, some of which are carcinogens or co-carcinogens. Yet, new research now suggests that, while there are certainly carcinogens in marijuana, they do not increase the chance of actually developing cancer, even when it is smoked. There have also been some research that have shown THC, in particular, can help to slow down the rate of growth in both lung and breast cancer. Research must continue in the product, but people like Ashcraft, meanwhile, have been given a real glimmer of hope at being able to live a reasonably good quality of life, even if they do remain terminal with regards to their condition.