Marinol, Like Marijuana, MAY Cause Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer has increased 3 to 6 percent in European related males.

Courtesy: kubby.com

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - A very interesting recent article in the medical journal Cancer, Feb. 9, 2009 indicates that THC, the most active ingredient in cannabis/marijuana (ca 95%) causes an increase in non-seminoma cancers in cannabis smokers. The study was based on the fact that THC stimulates receptors in the Testes.

Janet Daling, Ph.D. Epidemiologist at the Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle reasoned that because THC does act on the Testes and that Seattle had a high rate of cannabis/marijuana use, there would be reasons to consider some pathology.

Whether the rate of testicular cancer is caused by cannabis use or if this is just better diagnosis is a problem. The U.S. Govt. estimates about 500,000 cannabis users in Washington. There was NO increase in another kind of testicular cancer!

Testicular cancer has increased 3 to 6 percent in European related males.

According to some related research testicular cancer occurs in about 1 in 300 males.

Dr. Gary Schwartz in Wake Forest University in North Carolina says that testicular cancer is thought to start in the uterus before the child is born but does not appear until late puberty when Testosterone levels peak.

There are about 400 thousand patients using cannabis legally after extensive medical histories and thorough physical examinations. No other physicians with close medical contact with cannabis patients have reported any connection with the above mentioned research. In fact some studies have shown anti-cancer effects of cannabis. (see: Breakthrough Discovered in Medical Marijuana Cancer Treatment - Tim King Salem-News.com )

While researching this cancer report I found a related article in the LA Times with about 30 interesting comments from readers. By the way there are about 7000 testicular cancers found in the U.S. per year out of a male population of about 150 million. Besides that these cancers can occur even if one doesn’t use cannabis.

This is very interesting.

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