Colon cancer patients are 24 times more likely to die within 5 years if they had this habit before their diagnosis
Here's the bottom line — nearly 53,000 Americans are projected to die from colorectal cancer this year.
The overall five-year survival rate for the disease is around 65%. Several factors significantly influence prognosis, including the stage of the cancer at diagnosis, its location within the colon and the effectiveness of treatment.
A new study suggests that a popular habit may negatively affect colon cancer outcomes, significantly increasing the risk of death within five years of diagnosis.
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The overall five-year survival rate for colorectal cancer is around 65%. Here, a colon cancer patient looks at her ostomy bag in the mirror.
Sheila – stock.adobe.com
'This study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that heavy cannabis use may have underrecognized impacts on the immune system, mental health and treatment behaviors,' said lead study author Raphael Cuomo, an associate professor at the UC San Diego School of Medicine.
An estimated 17.7 million Americans reported using marijuana daily or nearly every day in 2022, a rise that correlates with the decriminalization and legalization of pot and increased societal acceptance.
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About 30% of cannabis users meet the criteria for addiction.
Cuomo wanted to see how addiction impacts colon cancer survival.
He analyzed the electronic health records of nearly 1,100 colon cancer patients treated across the University of California Health system between 2012 and 2024.
An estimated 17.7 million Americans reported using marijuana daily or nearly every day in 2022, a rise that correlates with the decriminalization and legalization of pot and increased societal acceptance.
Yakobchuk Olena – stock.adobe.com
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Patients who frequently used cannabis had a substantially higher five-year mortality rate (55.88 %) compared to those who didn't have the same habit (5.05 %).
Furthermore, those diagnosed with marijuana addiction before they were stricken with colon cancer were 24.4 times more likely to die within five years of diagnosis compared to their peers, Cuomo determined.
The findings were published online this month in the Annals of Epidemiology.
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'This isn't about vilifying cannabis. It's about understanding the full range of its impacts, especially for people facing serious illnesses,' Cuomo said.
'We hope these findings encourage more research — and more nuanced conversations — about how cannabis interacts with cancer biology and care.'
Some studies suggest that cannabis may help cancer patients manage their symptoms and potentially even reduce tumor growth.
Cuomo noted that frequent cannabis use is often associated with depression, anxiety and other mental health struggles that may compromise a patient's ability to engage fully with cancer treatment.
'Socioeconomic disadvantage, stigma and competing health concerns may further limit access to timely, high-quality oncologic care among patients with [cannabis use disorder],' he wrote in the paper.
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