October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer affects nearly one in 8 women in the United States, making it the most common cancer in American women, while modern medicine has made many advances when it comes to treating and preventing breast cancer, the potential for CBD oil to supplement traditional treatments is only just being explored.

While there is still a lot of research that needs to happen when it comes to CBD, as a society, we’ve made tremendous progress in regards to our attitude towards hemp and its potential for healing. CBD may help people with cancer manage some symptoms of the disease, as well as side effects of treatment. Scientists are also looking into how CBD could aid cancer treatment, but more research is needed before any conclusions can be made. Let’s take a closer look at how CBD may help people with cancer:

Reduce Neuropathic Pain

Breast cancer is usually treated with chemotherapy, but this treatment regime comes with extreme side effects including nerve and organ tissue damage, pain, and discomfort. Symptoms of nerve damage include tingling and numbing sensations in the patient’s hands and feet. Nerve damage to the patient’s leg condition is called neuropathy, and it’s known to cause severe pain.

One of the very first medical benefits of CBD is to help reduce that pain by providing relief. Research suggests cannabinoids may ease the neuropathic pain that cancer (and cancer treatment) can bring on.

Ease Nausea

The chemotherapy used to treat breast cancer frequently causes patients to feel nausea that can lead to severe vomiting. Since chemotherapy includes heavy drugs, these drugs tamper with the brain’s chemistry, tricking the brain into identifying the drugs as a foreign body. The brain activates its own chemicals to protect the body by making patients feel nauseous and expelling toxins by vomiting. Nausea and vomiting in turn lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and weakness.

Fortunately, CBD can help. Research suggests cannabinoids can ease nausea and poor appetite, which are commonly associated with cancer and chemotherapy. Additionally, CBD’s anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety properties have been noted as being helpful to patients as well.

Reduce Cell Proliferation

A big problem in breast cancer is metastasis, or the development of secondary malignant growths at a distance from a primary site of cancer. The leading cause of metastatic breast cancer is the Id-1 gene. This gene’s primary function is to initiate cell differentiation, which induces the growth of cancer cells in the breast.

Due to its anti-metastatic properties, cannabidiol can potentially help inhibit this gene as well as its migration and proliferation, preventing cancer from spreading. Research from 2010 demonstrated the efficacy of CBD in preclinical models of metastatic breast cancer. The study found that CBD significantly reduced breast cancer cell proliferation and invasion.

While this is promising news, as with any treatment regimen, you should discuss this with your physician and remember that anything you ingest (dietary supplements and herbal remedies included) could potentially interfere with treatment.. When in doubt, discuss your CBD options with your oncologist and medical team to determine the best course of action.

If interested in learning more about the benefits of CBD and our variety of products, visit our website or contact one of our knowledgeable staff members,