Systematic review of the potential role of cannabinoids as antiproliferative agents for urological cancers

Authors

  • Shreyas Gandhi McMaster University
  • Gaurav Vasisth
  • Anil Kapoor Professor of Surgery (Urology), McMaster University, Associate Editor (Oncology), Canadian Urological Association Journal ( CUAJ ), Hamilton, ON, Canada.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5489/cuaj.4371

Abstract

Introduction: The palliative effects of cannabis sativa (marijuana), which include appetite stimulation, attenuation of nausea and emesis, and pain relief, are well known. The active components of cannabis sativa (cannabinoids) and their derivatives have received growing interest due to their diverse pharmacological activities, such as cell growth inhibition and tumour regression. The aim of this review is to look at the current evidence on the antiproliferative effects of cannabinoids in urological malignancies, including renal, prostate, bladder, and testicular cancers.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of studies exploring the effect of cannabinoids on tumour activity, including all study types except expert opinions. A formal search was run on Medline database from 1946 to September 2016, along with a hand-search on PubMed for relevant studies.

Results: The search yielded a total of 93 studies from Medline and PubMed, of which 23 studies were included in the final analysis. To date, there are various in vitro studies elucidating the potential mechanism of action of cannabinoids for urological cancers, along with population-based studies specifically for testicular malignancies. To date, no clinical trials have been conducted for urological cancer patients.

Conclusions: These results demonstrate that the role of endocannabinoids for urological malignancies is an area of active research. Further research is required not only to evaluate the crosstalk between cancer signaling pathways and cannabinoids, but also large randomized clinical studies with urological patients need to be conducted before cannabinoids can be introduced as potential therapeutic options for urological neoplasms.

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Author Biographies

Shreyas Gandhi, McMaster University

BHSc, MD Candidate

Michael DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University

Gaurav Vasisth

McMaster Institute of Urology, 50 Charlton Avenue, G344 Mary Grace Wing, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8N 4A6.

Anil Kapoor, Professor of Surgery (Urology), McMaster University, Associate Editor (Oncology), Canadian Urological Association Journal ( CUAJ ), Hamilton, ON, Canada.

McMaster Institute of Urology, 50 Charlton Avenue, G344 Mary Grace Wing, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8N 4A6.

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Published

2017-04-11

How to Cite

Gandhi, S., Vasisth, G., & Kapoor, A. (2017). Systematic review of the potential role of cannabinoids as antiproliferative agents for urological cancers. Canadian Urological Association Journal, 11(3-4), E138–42. https://doi.org/10.5489/cuaj.4371