image: Figure 1: The potential mechanisms behind the synergistic effect between Cannabidiol, Cisplatin, and Intermittent Serum Starvation in the HCT-116 cell line.
Figure created with https://www.biorender.com/.
Credit: 2024 Cherkasova et al.
“This commentary will discuss what is known about such combinatorial treatments, including potential mechanisms and future protocols.”
BUFFALO, NY- November 15, 2024 – A new review was published in Volume 11 of Oncoscience on November 12, 2024, entitled, “Targeting carbohydrate metabolism in colorectal cancer - synergy between DNA-damaging agents, cannabinoids, and intermittent serum starvation.”
As highlighted by the authors in the abstract of this review, chemotherapy is a common treatment for many cancers. However, it is often ineffective for long-term patient survival and is typically accompanied by various adverse effects. These side effects are mainly due to toxicity to normal cells, often leading to immune system depression, nausea, loss of appetite, and metabolic changes. In this context, combining chemotherapy with cannabinoids—especially non-psychoactive ones like cannabidiol, cannabinol (CBD), and other minor cannabinoids, as well as terpenes—could offer significant benefits.
This is relevant because the mechanisms by which cannabinoids exert anticancer effects on cancer cells often differ from those of conventional chemotherapies. In addition, cannabinoids help alleviate chemotherapy-induced side effects, regulate sleep and appetite, and have shown analgesic properties. Another factor in achieving potential anticancer synergy is regulating nutrient availability and metabolism through calorie restriction and intermittent fasting in cancer cells. Since tumors require substantial energy for growth and glucose is readily available, malignant cells often rely on glucose as their primary source of ATP via substrate-level phosphorylation (fermentation) rather than oxidative phosphorylation. Therefore, periodically depriving cancer cells of glucose could create a strong synergy with chemotherapy—and possibly radiotherapy—when combined with cannabinoids.
In this review, researchers Viktoriia Cherkasova, Olga Kovalchuk, and Igor Kovalchuk from the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, explore what is known about these combinatorial treatments, including potential mechanisms and future protocols.
"In summary, our study was limited to cell viability and mRNA expression to unravel treatment synergies within (colorectal cancer) CRC cell lines, providing initial insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of (intermittent serum starvation) ISS, CBD and cisplatin interactions.”
Continue reading: DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/oncoscience.611
Corresponding authors: Olga Kovalchuk - olga.kovalchuk@uleth.ca, and Igor Kovalchuk - igor.kovalchuk@uleth.ca
Keywords: cancer, colorectal cancer, cisplatin, cannabidiol, intermittent serum starvation, chemotherapy
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Journal
Oncoscience
Method of Research
Commentary/editorial
Subject of Research
Not applicable
Article Title
Targeting carbohydrate metabolism in colorectal cancer - synergy between DNA-damaging agents, cannabinoids, and intermittent serum starvation
Article Publication Date
12-Nov-2024
COI Statement
Authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.