Does cannabis prevent cancer?
Using multivariable logistic regression, and after adjusting for potential confounders, patients with cannabis abuse were 55% less likely to have HCC (adjusted Odds Ratio {aOR}, 0.45, 95% Confidence Interval {CI}, 0.42-0.49, P<0.001) compared with patients without cannabis abuse.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the world.
A recent population based study has looked at HCC and if there was any relationship to cannabis use.
The relationship was examined using data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. (Between 2002 and 2014)
Patients with HCC and cannabis use diagnosis (CUD) using the International Classification of Disease 9th version codes (ICD-9) were identified.
Patients without cannabis use were the control group.
Results were adjusted for multiple potential confounders and performed multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine the association between cannabis abuse and HCC.
101,231,036 patients were included in the study.
Out of the total, 996,290 patients (1%) had the diagnosis of cannabis abuse versus 100,234,746 patients (99%) in the control group without cannabis abuse.
Patients with cannabis abuse were younger (34 vs 48 years), had more males (61.7% vs 41.4%) and more African Americans (29.9% vs 14.2%) compared with the control group (P<0.001 for all).
Patients with cannabis use had more hepatitis B, hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis, and smoking, but had less obesity and gallstones, (P<0.001 for all).
Using multivariable logistic regression, and after adjusting for potential confounders, patients with cannabis abuse were 55% less likely to have HCC (adjusted Odds Ratio {aOR}, 0.45, 95% Confidence Interval {CI}, 0.42-0.49, P<0.001) compared with patients without cannabis abuse.
Ahmed ElTelbany
