Continuously expanding, the medical cannabis sector is attracting increasing attention from healthcare professionals. Data from Close-UP indicates that, in March 2025, the number of medical cannabis prescribers in pharmacies reached 52,300 — nearly 12,000 more than in the same period of 2024. Meanwhile, prescriptions, whether physical or digital, increased by almost 50%, rising from 228,000 to 338,000.

According to Cristiano Fernandes, a hematologist with over 16 years of experience at the Cancer Combat Center, now is the time to reintegrate cannabis into clinical practice. “We have long removed cannabis from the medical ornament. Bringing back this resource, now with scientific knowledge, evidence-based focus, and quality, makes a lot of sense and aligns with current medicine,” he stated.

He emphasizes that doctors do not need to fear prescribing cannabinoid-based products, "they just need to know and understand how to use them. We need to rekindle our relationship and shed the bias against cannabis. We cannot fight against science,” he concluded.

Check out Dr. Cristiano's speech: 

Benefits of cannabis in oncology

Oncology, a field of great importance, has seen the plant as an ally in managing symptoms that affect the quality of life of patients. Cannabis derivatives, such as cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are being studied for their potential to reduce chronic pain, nausea, and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.

Additionally, cannabinoids can help stimulate appetite and improve sleep. These effects, already recognized in various countries, contribute to helping patients endure treatment in a less taxing manner.

Clinical evidence on nausea and vomiting

A randomized phase II/III clinical trial showed that capsules containing THC 2.5 mg + CBD 2.5 mg, administered from one day before to five days after chemotherapy, significantly increased the complete response rate — absence of vomiting and nausea — from 8% in the placebo group to 24% in the THC:CBD group (a difference of 16%, p = 0.01).

This result suggests that the combination of cannabinoids can be an effective complement to standard antiemetic treatment.

Management of oncologic pain

Studies also investigate the efficacy of cannabis in pain control for cancer patients. An integrative review of randomized clinical trials found mixed results: while four studies indicated a reduction in pain intensity and perception, others did not observe a significant difference compared to placebos or conventional treatments.

Some extracts, such as nabiximols (a combination of THC and CBD), are already used as adjuvants, although clear evidence of superiority is still lacking.

Antitumor potential in preclinical research

In the laboratory setting, research suggests that CBD may have antitumor action: inducing apoptosis, halting the cell cycle, inhibiting angiogenesis, reducing metastatic potential, and affecting the mitochondrial membrane of cancer cells. These effects were observed in lung, breast, ovarian, glioma, gastric, and prostate cancer cell lines.