An 80-year-old woman from the UK, diagnosed with cancer, watched a tumor in her right lung decrease by 76% in less than three years while undergoing a replacement therapy with cannabidiol (CBD) oil, a substance extracted from Cannabis sativa. The case was documented in an article published on the BMJ Case Reports platform.

The patient was treated at the Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust and smoked about one pack of cigarettes per week. She discovered cancer in June 2018 after spending months coughing. The elderly woman avoided conventional treatments – surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy – because she feared side effects, and by her own decision, she began taking 0.5ml of CBD oil two to three times a day. In addition to the oil, she continued to take medications for mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), osteoporosis, and high blood pressure. Examination images (highlighted) show that the tumor size decreased from 41 mm in June 2018 to 10 mm in March 2021. A reduction of approximately 76%.

cause and effect – Doctors who treated the patient said it was not clear if the oil was responsible for improving the condition and that there was no strong evidence that products made with marijuana could alter tumor progression. However, they suggest that further research be conducted to clarify whether plant-derived products can contribute to cancer treatment.