A study published in JAMA Network Open indicated that cannabidiol (CBD) did not lower scan-related anxiety, but the findings suggested that CBD significantly decreased overall anxiety levels. Scan-related anxiety (scanxiety) is a condition in which patients experience increased mental discomfort when they must undergo imaging studies to detect the potential spread of cancer.
Researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Mass General Brigham Hospital collaborated to evaluate the efficacy of CBD in minimizing anxiety. They assessed whether administering one oral dose of 400mg FDA-approved CBD would minimize scanxiety among patients with advanced breast cancer before a scan. The randomized clinical trial included 50 women aged 18 years or older with advanced breast cancer and baseline clinical anxiety. Twenty-five patients received CBD treatment, and 25 patients received a placebo treatment. The researchers analyzed anxiety levels among participants using the Visual Analog Mood Scale (VAMS) before and 2-4 hours after CBD or placebo treatments.
The findings showed that participants who took CBD did not experience a dramatic reduction in anxiety before a scan compared to patients in the placebo group. The study showed that participants experienced reduced anxiety levels 2-4 hours after consuming CBD. The findings corroborated other studies that highlighted CBD’s anxiety-reducing properties. No participants reported significant adverse effects.
The study provides a solid foundation for future clinical studies exploring the effectiveness and safety of CBD treatments for mood disorders. Study author Dr. Ilana Braun explained, “Our study also demonstrates high levels of interest in clinical trials to test treating anxiety with CBD and highlights the need to conduct follow-up studies to understand how CBD integrates into the armament of therapies to address cancer related anxiety.” The study highlights ingestible CBD’s potential to decrease anxiety symptoms for patients experiencing breast cancer, as well as other patients managing anxiety symptoms.
Source: Eureka News Alert, JAMA Network Open
