Pancreatic cancer, effect of cannabinoids in animal models

Disease modelTreatmentComparatorResultsRef.

Pancreatic tumour cells (MiaPaCa2), s.c. xenograft;

Immunodeficient nude mice

THC peri-tumoral, 15 mg/kg per day for 14 daysVehicle or JWH (1.5 mg/kg per day, CB2-selective agonist), or vehicleTHC reduced tumour growth by ~50%, increased apoptosis[131]

PDAC;

KPC mice

CBD 100 mg/kg i.p. per day until deathGEM 100 mg/kg per day i.p.; every 3 days, or a combination of CBD + GEMMice receiving CBD + GEM survived 2.8 times longer than mice not given any treatment (1.3 times longer with CBD and 1.4 times longer with GEM alone); mean survival: no treatment 18.6, CBD 25.4 (+ 37%), GEM 27.8 (+ 49%), CBD + GEM 52.7 days (+ 183%)[130]
Human PDAC cell line (Capan-2)-derived xenograft mouse modelExtract (CBD:THC = 6:1) 1 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg, or extract 10 mg/kg p.o. per day5-FU, 5 mg/kg i.p., three times a week, compared to a negative control group (sesame oil)Tumour volumes were marginally but not significantly lower than after 5-FU in the 1 mg and 5 mg/kg extract group, whereas the volume of the 10 mg/kg group was higher than that of the negative control (not signif.)[27]

GEM: gemcitabine; 5-FU: 5-fluorouracil; signif.: significant; p.o.: per os; ~: about