Dr. Ashare’s research interests include several aspects of cannabis use in the context of comorbid medical conditions. Patients are increasingly using cannabis to manage symptoms such as pain, anxiety, and insomnia. However, due to cannabis’ classification as a Schedule 1 substance by the United States Food and Drug Administration, the science has seriously lagged behind state cannabis laws and clinical practice.
Therefore, our research focuses on three key areas:
- whether cannabis may help to reduce opioid use for managing pain among cancer patients
A qualitative study conducted by our colleague, Dr. Salimah Meghani, at the University of Pennsylvania suggested that patients may attempt to use cannabis to avoid taking opioids, as one patient said: “I’ll [first] go to the marijuana. If that doesn’t work, I’ll go to the harder medicines…Rather than take OxyContin and hydrocodone, I’m taking…the [marijuana] strands”.
- evaluating perceptions and patterns of cannabis use among cancer patients
We conducted a large survey of patients with cancer to evaluate the prevalence and patients’ perceptions of cannabis use. This study was conducted as part of a consortium of 11 other cancer centers around the country. The results found that across sites 33% of patients reporting using cannabis since their cancer diagnosis. A series of studies from this consortium is published in an issue of JNCI Monographs.
• evaluating the benefits and harms of cannabis use for symptom management during cancer treatment.
We are currently conducting two large observational studies to evaluate the role of cannabis use in symptom management among patients with cancer. Both studies follow patients for 1 year and utilize ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to assess cannabis use at the daily level along with dynamic changes in pain, anxiety, and sleep. Collaborators include Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Thomas Jefferson University/Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania/Abramson Cancer Center, and Oregon Health and Science University/Knight Cancer Institute.
Selected Publications
This work is supported by:
- R01-CA270483 (Meghani/Ashare/Worster, MPI)
- U01-CA286811 (Ashare/Meghani/Nugent, MPI)