Marijuana Could Cut Tumor Growth in Half

[klaatu]

(Note: Sadly no reference in the article to the "reseachers' paper - Klaatu)

Wednesday, 18 Apr 2007

Health News on myFOXaustin.com

LOS ANGELES -- Harvard researchers say smoking pot could cut lung cancer tumor growth in half. Researchers say the active ingredient in marijuana delta-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC cuts lung cancer tumor growth in half. The researchers say, it helps stop the cancer's ability to spread.

Apparently, THC curbs a molecule called epidermal growth factor. That promotes some lung cancer cells to grow and spread. The researchers say their findings were done on mice and are still preliminary. They say more tests need to be done.

The authors presented their findings to the the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer research in Los Angeles.

Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer here in United States. The National Cancer Institute predicts more than 213,000 people will be diagnosed with the disease this year.

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Klaatu