Former Cancer Researcher Chooses Cannabis Over Chemotherapy, Treats His Prostate Cancer

I think we all need to pay attention when a cancer researcher refuses community standard chemoradiation, and instead opts for a schedule I drug with no medical value. Does he know something we don’t?

OVERVIEW OF PROSTATE CANCER

From the National Cancer Institute:

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United States, after [non-melanoma] skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of death from cancer in men.

Almost all prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas (cancers that begin in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids). Prostate cancer often has no early symptoms. Advanced prostate cancer can cause men to urinate more often or have a weaker flow of urine, but these symptoms can also be caused by benign prostate conditions.

Prostate cancer usually grows very slowly. Most men with prostate cancer are older than 65 years and do not die from the disease. Finding and treating prostate cancer before symptoms occur may not improve health or help you live longer.

…Even with widespread screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA), still 5% of cases present with metastatic lesions at the time of diagnosis. Because of all this, there is a fundamental necessity to search for and find new and novel treatments to this common pathology…. There has been experimental evidence that cannabinoids possess anti-androgenic [anti-testosterone effect which in theory should slow down or halt progression of the disease] proprieties…

In the United States, an estimated 217,730 cases will be diagnosed in 2010 and 32,050 deaths will occur [CA Cancer J Clin. 2010;60:277–300]…With testing localized disease incidence has increased while metastatic disease incidence has decreased.

Yet metastatic disease remains an important problem. Hematogenous [blood] spread of prostate cancer cells is a common event. For these malignant cells, tumor growth preferentially occurs in bones of the axial skeleton [the spine]. The most common site of metastasis is bone and frequently is symptomatic, causing pain, debility, and functional impairment.

The treatments differ depending on the presentation. With bone pain from metastatic involvement the usual choice is a chemical or physical castration called androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)

There are second line hormonal treatment if ADT fails.

Also there is external beam radiation therapy,…for men with castrate-resistant prostate cancer and bone pain that is limited to one or a few sites.[ref]Indian J Urol. 2012 Jan-Mar; 28(1): 9–14.[/ref]

ROLE OF CANNABINOIDS IN MALE PHYSIOLOGY

Previous research in the 1980’s has determined that the endocannabinoid system when stimulated, suppresses the male androgen [testosterone] response with a dose-dependent decrease in PSA [prostate specific antigen] expression and secreted PSA.

PSA is considered as the most sensitive biomarker and screening tool for prostate cancer to date; its regulation is androgen [testosterone and its derivatives]-dependent.[ref]IBID[/ref]

Current studies show that expression of both CB1 and CB2 receptors was significantly higher in cultured prostate cancer cells. When these cells were stimulated using a THC analogue (agonist, WIN-55,212-2) prostate cancer cells were encouraged to die off leaving normal cells untouched. These data suggest that both CB1 and CB2 receptors may be involved in [agonist] mediated growth inhibition and apoptosis [cell-mediated suicide].[ref]IBID[/ref]

The prostate gland when it undergoes malignant transformation, makes greater quantities of CB receptors on prostate tissue. This is the body’s compensatory response to the disease; to increase proliferation of CB receptors in an effort to fight off the neoplasia. It’s also an indication that prostate cancer may be yet another disease due to an endocannabinoid deficiency, adding it to the ever growing list of diseases for which this is the underlying pathophysiology.

It turns out that stimulation of CB receptors on prostate tissue induces prostate carcinoma cell (PCC) apoptosis [cell death], but cannabinoids other than Δ(9) -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which lack potency at cannabinoid receptors such as CBD have not been examined until 2013.

FROM ITALY

Cannabidiol (CBD) was first investigated (2013) by Dr L De Petrocellis and his team. Entitled Non-THC cannabinoids inhibit prostate carcinoma growth in vitro and in vivo: pro-apoptotic effects and underlying mechanisms.

They found that cannabidiol (CBD) significantly inhibited PCC viability.

This suggests the well known “entourage effect” is in play where several phytocannabinoids (or more) produce a synergistic effect each complimenting the other’s cancer-killing abilities and making the preparation much more potent and efficacious.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS:

These data support the clinical testing of CBD against prostate carcinoma. In conclusion, the in vitro [test tube] data presented here allow us to suggest that non-THC cannabinoids, and CBD in particular, retard proliferation [growth] and cause apoptosis [cell death] of PCC (prostate carcinoma cells) via a combination of cannabinoid receptor-independent, cellular and molecular mechanisms. Indeed, the effects reported here, together with previously reported cannabinoid receptor-mediated effects of THC on PCCs, might encourage clinical studies on cannabinoids and Cannabis [sic] extracts as a therapy for human prostate carcinoma, either as single agent or in combination with existing compounds. Our additional observation that differentiation of an ‘androgen-dependent’ cell into a more malignant and ‘androgen-unresponsive’ phenotype increases its sensitivity to the pro-apoptotic effect of CBD might provide a new strategy to deal with the frequent loss of efficacy of AR [androgen receptor] antagonists against prostate carcinoma growth seen after only a few years of treatment.[ref]Br J Pharmacol. 2013 Jan; 168(1): 79–102[/ref]

Let me highlight this because it is actually quite profound. What they are saying in the last section is that cannabinoids perform better (are a more effective killing machine) on the worst type of PCC-the androgen unresponsive phenotype. These are the types that fail conventional drugs and are therefore much more deadly. Not so with cannabis apparently.

AMERICAN STUDIES

Probably the most famous prostate cancer patient is long-time “stoner comedian” Tommy Chong. Last year he reported that he was diagnosed with stage one prostate cancer. One year later he is presumably cancer free after his unconventional approach using cannabis oil, supplements, a healer, and a healthier diet.

After I came out with the news last June that a cancer doctor told me I had prostrate (sic) cancer… I immediately looked at alternatives. I contacted my nephew in Vancouver,…he suggested I meet with a Dr. McKinnon in Victoria, BC. That doctor changed my diet and put me on supplements, and within a year I brought my PSA numbers down drastically and eliminated the cancer threat. I also treated the condition with hemp oil (hash oil)…That’s right, I kicked cancer’s ass! So the magic plant does cure cancer with the right diet and supplements. I’m due for another blood test, MRI, etc., but I feel the best I’ve felt in years. And now for a celebration joint of the finest Kush…[ref](http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/05/15/tommy-chong-beats-prostate-cancer-with-diet-and-hemp-oil/) 10/23/2015[/ref]

In reference to how he was able to easily obtain medical marijuana as a non-toxic, inexpensive alternative to toxic radiation and chemotherapy drugs, he had this to say:

I’ve got prostate cancer, and I’m treating it with hemp oil, with cannabis, so [legalizing marijuana] means a lot more to me than just being able to smoke a joint without being arrested.

Indeed. Legalization’s greatest effect will be to allow people dying from end-stage cancers to easily and legally obtain cannabis for making Rick Simpson Oil (RSO, hash/hemp oil).

DENNIS HILL

Dr. Dennis Hill is a PhD biochemist.[ref](https://patients4medicalmarijuana.wordpress.com/biochemist-dennis-hill-who-cured-his-stage-4-prostate-cancer-with-cannabis-oil-explains-how-it-works/) 10/25/2015[/ref] Dennis worked as a Cancer Researcher at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Much to his surprise Dennis was diagnosed with advanced stage III prostate cancer. Stage III cancers invade local tissues which significantly increases mortality risk. Furthermore, as a researcher he often witnessed ineffective treatments for various cancers, he felt a new approach was in order.

Therefore, he decided upon RSO as the only form of treatment. He informed his doctor of the choice and surprisingly he didn’t object.

At first he experimented with cannabutter that a friend had, then switching to RSO for the Full Monty.

There was no dispensary in the area, but a friend made me cannabis butter, so I took that, up to tolerance. In three months the primary cancer was gone, only minor metastatic [stage III local invasion, not true metastatic disease which is stage IV] lesions were left. At that point I found a supplier for Rick Simpson oil and killed off the metastases in the next three months. Now I just take a maintenance dose of locally produced hash oil that is 1:1 THC:CBD with about a 30% potency. This will certainly keep me clear of cancer, anywhere, for ever.

My point in telling this story is the fact that in the face of advanced aggressive cancer, all I had was very weak cannabutter, but it was enough to eliminate the primary tumor. Now there are strains of 95% THC. But is this necessary? If you have cancer and want to pursue the cannabis treatment, any at all will be good. More important than extreme potency, is balance between THC and CBD. If you can get high potency, great. If not, common potencies will work perfectly.[ref]http://www.cureyourowncancer.org/dennis-hills-story-beating-prostate-cancer-with-cannabis-oil.html#sthash.J2KkKWUJ.dpuf[/ref]

Above is Dr Hill’s biopsy schematic. In it we see six biopsy sites, all positive for adenocarcinoma (prostate cancer). Below is the pathology report for the left side. The right side is virtually the same.

Below we have the follow up biopsy showing no active disease.