How CANNABIS can treat cancer: Study finds compound in the plant can help shrink aggressive brain tumours

Cannabis can have a dramatic effect on aggressive forms of brain cancer, a new study shows.

The new research, conducted by specialists at St George’s, University of London, studied the treatment of brain tumours in the laboratory.

It found the most effective treatment was to combine active chemical components of the cannabis plant, which are known as cannabinoids.

Two of these – called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) – were tested as part of the research into brain cancer.

This is particularly difficult to treat and claims the lives of about 5,200 patients each year. 

It also has a particularly poor prognosis as the rate of survival after five years of patients’ diagnosis is around 10 per cent, 

The new research is the first to show a drastic effect when combining THC and CBD with radiation.  

Dr Wai Liu, Senior Research Fellow and lead researcher on the project, said: ‘The results are extremely exciting.