Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute<\/a> believes he has found a way to halt the progression of this devastating cancer. With encouraging results in laboratory tests, his next step is to trial the treatment in humans.<\/p>\n\u201cLife expectancy for pancreatic cancer patients has barely changed in the past 40 years. There are few treatments available, and therapeutic strategies and new treatments are urgently needed,\u201d Falasca says.<\/p>\n
His research has examined the impact of cannabidiol \u2013 a medicinal cannabis compound \u2013 on the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe worked with in vitro cancer cells, then we moved on to a more sophisticated transgenic animal model of pancreatic cancer, using mice who had developed a tumour from introduced genetic material.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe histology of the mouse tumour is similar to a human tumour. As with people, there is one specific gene that is mutated in 95 per cent of pancreatic cancer patients. This mutation drives the cells to develop pancreatic tumours.\u201d<\/p>\n
His results showed that mice with pancreatic cancer survived nearly three times longer if they were treated with cannabidiol and gemcitabine \u2013 an outcome Falasca hopes to replicate in people.<\/p>\n
His team is collaborating with Perth-based Fiona Stanley Hospital to find 30 pancreatic cancer patients to participate in a treatment trial.<\/p>\n
Cannabidiol is a naturally occurring compound derived from the hemp plant. Known to reduce pain and anxiety, it is an essential component of medicinal cannabis, used to treat bipolar disorder, seizures, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia.<\/p>\n
The compound is an antagonist of the cancer receptor in pancreatic cells \u2013 a protein on the cell surface responsible for switching on cellular activity \u2013 and works by blocking the protein and inhibiting the growth of the tumour.<\/p>\n
While there is anecdotal evidence of success in using medicinal cannabis among cancer patients, Falasca waits to regulate and monitor the results of his research.<\/p>\n
\u201cTrials give us proper validation and proper demonstration that it is working, so other people can use this. We need to know there are no side effects, no complications; it is very important for clinical integrity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trial participants will take the cannabidiol sublingually (under the tongue) or rectally. It will involve a period of treatment, followed by a break where the team will assess whether the treatment is working or if it is in the patient\u2019s best interest to alter the dosage.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to try different combinations of the drugs \u2013 single cannabidiols, mixed cannabidiols or dry medicinal cannabis \u2013 and work out the best one. We also want to try our treatment in combination with other drugs and therapies.\u201d<\/p>\n
The cannabidiol used in the trial will be produced in Germany and the Netherlands, and supplied by Australian pharmaceutical group Zelda, with the research and results processed in the CHIRI laboratories at Â鶹ֱ²¥.<\/p>\n
Having cannabidiol already approved for use in clinics means if the trial is successful, the treatment could be made available to all patients with relative ease.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we can reproduce these effects in humans, it could be in use in cancer clinics almost immediately, rather than waiting for authorities to approve a new drug,\u201d Falasca says.<\/p>\n
For Falasca, finding a cure would be the pinnacle of a long and productive career in oncology research, however, given the high morbidity of the disease, he believes that successful clinical trials may not necessarily equate to a cure.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy ambition is to cure it, but this cancer is very aggressive and you have to be realistic. It might not just be about the cure, it\u2019s about managing it and getting it under control.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we can counteract the tumours, we can improve survival rates. But we can also work towards giving options to patients \u2013 another drug, another therapy \u2013 to extend a patient\u2019s lifetime. And there are a few patients who survive, so we have a window of hope for those patients.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe could make that little bit of hope a bit bigger.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nFalasca\u2019s research is supported by the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund and the Avner Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, and also involves researchers from D\u2019Annunzio University in Italy, Fondazione Edo ed Elvo Tempia and The Beatson Institute for Cancer Research in Scotland.<\/p>\n
The full paper, \u2018GPR55 Signalling Promotes Proliferation of Pancreatic Cancer Cells and Tumour Growth in Mice, and its Inhibition Increases Effects of Gemcitabine\u2019, was published in the journal, Oncogene.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Pancreatic cancer patients in Western Australia will be offered a medicinal cannabis compound in clinical trials conducted by Â鶹ֱ²¥.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":7202,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_research-areas":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,79,43],"tags":[],"research-areas":[],"class_list":["post-7199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-and-global-community","category-health","category-medical-science"],"acf":{"post_options":{"":null,"additional_content":{"title":"Health at Curtin: Biosciences and metabolic health","content":"
This story contributes to our\u00a0Health at Curtin<\/em>\u00a0collection on new research in the Faculty of Health Sciences.<\/p>\nCurtin research in Biosciences and Metabolic Health ranges from life science discovery projects through to translational approaches and clinical investigations.<\/p>\n
In this series we profile investigations into the genetic mechanisms of superbugs; describe how the liver\u2019s regeneration abilities offers a new approach to fighting liver disease; explore the link between\u00a0Alzheimer\u2019s disease\u00a0and diabetes; and dig deeper into the relationship between ageing and tumour development.<\/p>\n
In clinical investigations: Could medical cannabis help treat pancreatic cancer? A neuroscience research team is developing diagnostics for concussion and related changes in the\u00a0central nervous system, an area of increasing public concern. And we applaud the Perth-based collaborations that are addressing malaria and rheumatic heart disease in Papua New Guinea and northern Australia.<\/p>\n","image":{"ID":8722,"id":8722,"title":"Scanning_electron_micrograph_of_Methicillin-resistant_Staphylococcus_aureus_MRSA_and_a_dead_Human_neutrophil_-_NIAID_150x150-19.jpg","filename":"Scanning_electron_micrograph_of_Methicillin-resistant_Staphylococcus_aureus_MRSA_and_a_dead_Human_neutrophil_-_NIAID_150x150-19.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Scanning_electron_micrograph_of_Methicillin-resistant_Staphylococcus_aureus_MRSA_and_a_dead_Human_neutrophil_-_NIAID_150x150-19.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/cannabis-compound-gives-hope-to-patients-with-pancreatic-cancer\/scanning_electron_micrograph_of_methicillin-resistant_staphylococcus_aureus_mrsa_and_a_dead_human_neutrophil_-_niaid_150x150-19-jpg-2\/","alt":"","author":"4275","description":"","caption":"","name":"scanning_electron_micrograph_of_methicillin-resistant_staphylococcus_aureus_mrsa_and_a_dead_human_neutrophil_-_niaid_150x150-19-jpg-2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":7199,"date":"2022-07-01 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Shore","url":"#","target":""},"photographer":"","media":false},"display_author":true,"banner":{"image":false}}},"featured_image":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Professor-Marco-Falasca_1584-1000x500.jpg","author_meta":{"first_name":"Jarrad","last_name":"Long","display_name":"Jarrad Long"},"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-27 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