New Study Finds Heavy Cannabis Use Linked to Increased Risk of Head and Neck Cancers
A recent study published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery has found that regular heavy marijuana use may increase a person’s risk of developing head and neck cancers. The study, which analyzed data from over 4 million patients, found that heavy cannabis users were between 3.5 and 5 times more likely to develop head and neck cancers than those who didn’t use the drug regularly.
Head and neck cancers are a type of cancer that affects the mouth, throat, and nasal cavity, and are more common in men than women. The study’s lead author, Dr. Niels Kokot, a head and neck surgeon at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California, noted that the cannabinoids in cannabis could be carcinogenic, or that the smoke itself may have potential for carcinogenesis.
The study used data from a global database called TriNetX, which included patient information from 64 health centers throughout the U.S. The researchers compared patients with cannabis use disorder to those without, and found that the cannabis users were more likely to develop all types of head and neck cancer except hypopharyngeal cancer.
However, the study had several limitations, including the difficulty of measuring cannabis use through self-reported data. The researchers noted that people who reported frequent cannabis use may have been more likely to have other health problems that increased their risk of cancer.
Despite these limitations, the study’s findings suggest that there may be an association between heavy cannabis use and an increased risk of head and neck cancers. The study’s authors noted that more research is needed to understand the relationship between cannabis use and cancer risk, particularly as daily marijuana use becomes more common.
Dr. Joseph Califano, director of the Gleiberman Head and Neck Cancer Center at the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego, who was not involved in the study, noted that the new research highlights the need for continued research on the subject. “It’s still unclear what role dose, frequency, and how a person ingests cannabis may affect their cancer risk,” he said.
The study’s findings also raise questions about the potential risks of edible cannabis, which may be safer than smoking the plant. However, Dr. Glenn Hanna, a medical oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Center for Head and Neck Oncology, noted that more research is needed to understand the effects of different cannabinoids on cancer risk.
