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British Journal of Cancer (2006) 95, 197-203.
doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6603236 Published online 27 June 2006
A pilot clinical study of
9-tetrahydrocannabinol in patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiformeM Guzmán1, M J Duarte2, C Blázquez1, J Ravina2, M C Rosa2, I Galve-Roperh1, C Sánchez1, G Velasco1 and L González-Feria2
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, School of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid 28040, Spain
2Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, La Laguna, Tenerife 38320, Spain
Correspondence to: Professor M Guzmán, E-mail: mgp@bbm1.ucm.es or Professor L González-Feria, E-mail: lgferia@yahoo.es
Revised 15 May 2006; accepted 5 June 2006; published online 27 June 2006
9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other cannabinoids inhibit tumour growth and angiogenesis in animal models, so their potential application as antitumoral drugs has been suggested. However, the antitumoral effect of cannabinoids has never been tested in humans. Here we report the first clinical study aimed at assessing cannabinoid antitumoral action, specifically a pilot phase I trial in which nine patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme were administered THC intratumoraly. The patients had previously failed standard therapy (surgery and radiotherapy) and had clear evidence of tumour progression. The primary end point of the study was to determine the safety of intracranial THC administration. We also evaluated THC action on the length of survival and various tumour-cell parameters. A dose escalation regimen for THC administration was assessed. Cannabinoid delivery was safe and could be achieved without overt psychoactive effects. Median survival of the cohort from the beginning of cannabinoid administration was 24 weeks (95% confidence interval: 15-33). 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol inhibited tumour-cell proliferation in vitro and decreased tumour-cell Ki67 immunostaining when administered to two patients. The fair safety profile of THC, together with its possible antiproliferative action on tumour cells reported here and in other studies, may set the basis for future trials aimed at evaluating the potential antitumoral activity of cannabinoids.Keywords: cannabinoid; glioblastoma multiforme; pilot clinical study; antitumoral drug
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| Print ISSN: 0007-0920 | Online ISSN: 1532-1827 | © 2006 Cancer Research UK | ||
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