title: Towards the use of cannabinoids as antitumour agents.
abstract: Various reports have shown that cannabinoids (the active components of marijuana and their derivatives) can reduce tumour growth and progression in animal models of cancer, in addition to their well-known palliative effects on some cancer-associated symptoms. This Opinion article discusses our current understanding of cannabinoids as antitumour agents, focusing on recent insights into the molecular mechanisms of action, including emerging resistance mechanisms and opportunities for combination therapy approaches. Such knowledge is required for the optimization of preclinical cannabinoid-based therapies and for the preliminary clinical testing that is currently underway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, School of Biology, Complutense University, and the Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Madrid 28040, Spain. gvd@bbm1.ucm.es
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Velasco
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guzmán
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000378:metabolism; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D002186:Cannabinoids