Towards the Utilization of Cannabinoids as Anticancer Agents

Dr. Guillermo Velasco, from Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos, Spain, will join us this year to present a talk entitled “Towards the Utilization of Cannabinoids as Anticancer Agents”.

A large body of evidence shows that cannabinoids, in addition to their well-known palliative effects on some cancer-associated symptoms, can reduce tumour growth in animal models of cancer and specifically of gliomas. The mechanism of cannabinoid anticancer action relies, at least largely, on the ability of these agents to stimulate autophagy-mediated cancer cell death. Moreover, the combined administration of cannabinoids and temozolomide produces a strong anticancer effect, which correlates with an intense activation of the signalling route that triggers the activation of cytotoxic autophagy.

Research conducted in Dr. Velasco's group has also led to the identification of mechanisms of resistance to cannabinoid anticancer action. For example, up-regulation of the growth factor Midkine (MDK) promotes resistance to cannabinoid anticancer action in gliomas via stimulation of the Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase tyrosine kinase receptor (ALK); and could be a factor of bad prognosis in GBM patients. All these preclinical findings have facilitated the promotion of clinical studies to investigate the safety and efficacy of the combined administration of THC+CBD and temozolomide in GBM.

In this presentation Dr. Velasco will briefly discuss these issues and other possible future studies that may help to clarify whether cannabinoids may be useful as anticancer agents in patients with gliomas or other cancers.

Join us in Polyphenols Applications 2022 and benefit from the experience of professional researchers like Dr. Velasco.

Polyphenols Applications 2022 Congress
September 28-30, 2022 - Valencia, Spain
www.polyphenols-site.com