Hello Rai2018,

I am sorry to hear that your father has been diagnosed with anal cancer and I just wanted to wish him the best of luck with his chemotherapy treatment. We have some in-depth information on our website about treatment for anal cancer which includes chemotherapy - you can read more about this here. I’m also including Cancer Research UK’s official statement on cannabis oil and alternative therapies for your information:

"We don’t advise patients to use cannabis oil or any alternative therapies to treat cancer. Standard medical treatments for cancer are all evidence-based so have been tested to see how safe and effective they are. Some “natural” remedies can interfere with medical treatment so it’s really important that patients speak to their doctor before making any decisions."

For more information about cannabis and cancer, the CRUK science blog is a good place to start: Cannabis – the evidence so far – it’s a very interesting read.

If you want to talk to one of our specialist cancer nurses, you can call them on freephone 0808 800 4040, from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. They will be happy to help if you have any further questions about chemotherapy and cannabis oil.

Best of luck to your dad for the start of his treatment.

Best wishes,

Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

Thank you for the information.

im hoping you can give me a reason as to why yourself and NHS say that chemo doesn’t mix with cbd or cannabis oil? And I know the reason isn’t because it is illegal still. As in the plant to grow, smoke etc. Bu Yes you can buy cbd oil in shops and I was advised the top end one can reduce cancer tumours? I know you have to stay by policy and what you are told to say but wonder if I can get any more help please? I believe even with chemo when my dad is in pain at times at home he can take cbd oil to help him sleep at least and not be in so much pain 

Hi Rai2018.

In an ideal world, it would be nice to think that adding CBD oil to chemotherapy would have a synergistic effect, each one boosting the other. But even when we use drugs with a single chemical compound that have been fully tested there can be unexpected side effects or it might interact with other drugs, possibly even with one drug cancelling out the other, or the two drugs between them causing worse side effects than either drug on its own. 

CBD oil isn't a single compound, it's a mix of compounds, and no one really knows what will happen if you mix with chemo.  And of course, chemo isn't a single drug, but is rather an unbrella term for a wide range of drugs, none of which (to the best of my knowledge) have been tested with CBD oil for interactions. 

Now that the government is having an overdue conversation about cannabis, we might begin to see some progress on its use, and discover whether or not it lives up to the hype. But for now if you buy and use CBD oil for cancer treatment, then you are simply taking part in an uncontrolled experiment.  The fact that CBD oil appears to effective in treating some forms of epilepsy is no indication whatsoever that it has any effect on cancer. 

I have no objection to people trying things out. I'm currently taking turmeric to see if it improves my arthritis and fibromyalgia. But that is a low stakes experiment. The worst that can happen is that my condition doesn't improve.  However, playing about with cancer treatment is a high stakes experiment. The very worst that can happen is that someone can die who might have been saved.

I understand the human need to do something when a loved one is sick; it leads us to clutch at straws, and right now CBD oil is just another straw to clutch at. If you want to try to persuade your dad to use CBD oil then no one can stop you. But just be prepared for what might happen if you get it dreadfully wrong. 

Thanks great you have answered all my questions very well so I appreciate it. Test base isn’t there is main thing I take from that as in really in this world we don’t know affects with as you say an umbrella of chemo drugs .

When I know more am I able to keep posting to yourself about what the doctors will say like to get more advice if that’s ok 

Hi Rai2018.

I hope I didn't come across too strongly. It can be difficult to hit the right tone when posting text. 

For instance, I should have started by expressing my sympathy for you, your dad, and your family. Let me correct that oversight now. 

Please do post your thoughts, feelings, and experiences here. When I was first diagnosed with prostate cancer, it was very very helpful and reassuring to read other people's personal experiences.  What you write will be helpful to others both in general, and for those also suffering from anal cancer.

I hope your dad makes a good recovery. Please keep us up to date. Best wishes. 

Hi just wondering if u could help me my mum has cancer and I would like to buy cannabis oil wot doses she has to have and wot one can she have 

Welcome to Cancer Chat Dixxie75 and i'm sorry to hear about your mum. Do take a look at our response earlier in this thread which explains more about cannabis oil. You should always discuss with your mum's consultant before trying to treat her with anything which hasn't been prescribed by a doctor as it could interfere with the conventional treatment she is receiving

Regards

Moderator Sarah