Medical Cannabis for Nausea and Vomiting
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
Many people receiving chemotherapy experience nausea despite standard anti-nausea medications. Medical cannabis is commonly used to help manage nausea, but there is limited scientific evidence about its effectiveness when used alongside modern chemotherapy treatments.
This study will evaluate whether medical cannabis can reduce nausea in adults receiving moderately or highly nausea-causing chemotherapy. Participants will be randomly assigned to start medical cannabis either immediately or after one chemotherapy cycle, allowing comparison of symptoms with and without cannabis use. All participants will continue their usual anti-nausea medications.
The study will also examine effects on vomiting, appetite, pain, fatigue, sleep, mood, quality of life, and inflammation. Results from this pilot study will help determine the safety, feasibility, and potential benefits of medical cannabis for chemotherapy-related nausea and guide future larger clinical trials.
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
Adults scheduled for at least 3 more chemotherapy cycles, with treatments spaced two weeks apart, can join this trial. They must be receiving chemo that's known to cause moderate to severe nausea and have not had previous chemo (except current treatment).Inclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Treatment
Participants receive medical cannabis during chemotherapy cycles to evaluate its effect on nausea and other symptoms
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment
Open-label extension (optional)
Participants may opt into continuation of treatment long-term
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Medical Cannabis
Trial Overview
The study tests if medical cannabis reduces nausea in patients undergoing certain chemotherapies. Participants will either start cannabis immediately or after one cycle, while continuing standard anti-nausea meds, allowing comparison of its effects.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Participants randomized to the Immediate Use arm will receive New York State medical cannabis certification and initiate medical cannabis use during their first on-study chemotherapy cycle, in addition to standard guideline-recommended antiemetic therapy. Participants will use medical cannabis primarily during the four days surrounding chemotherapy administration, corresponding to the acute and delayed nausea period. Cannabis will be administered by vaporization using a standardized device, dose limits, and schedule. Participants will complete daily nausea and vomiting diaries, cannabis use logs, and symptom questionnaires, and will provide blood samples once per chemotherapy cycle. Outcomes in this arm will be compared to the delayed-use arm to evaluate the preliminary efficacy, safety, and feasibility of medical cannabis for chemotherapy-related nausea.
Participants randomized to the Delayed Use arm will receive standard guideline-recommended antiemetic therapy alone during their first on-study chemotherapy cycle and will not use medical cannabis during this initial evaluation period. This cycle will serve as the comparison condition for nausea outcomes. After completion of the first cycle assessments, participants will receive New York State medical cannabis certification and will initiate medical cannabis use during the subsequent chemotherapy cycle. Cannabis will be administered by vaporization using a standardized device, dose limits, and schedule, primarily during the four days surrounding chemotherapy administration. Participants will complete daily nausea and vomiting diaries, cannabis use logs, symptom questionnaires, and provide blood samples once per chemotherapy cycle to evaluate changes after cannabis initiation.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of Rochester
Lead Sponsor
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