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Cannabis use not associated with increased risk for Kaposi's sarcoma in people with HIV |
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According to an analysis of data from the US Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) between 1984 and 2002 the use of cannabis was not associated with an increased risk for the development of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). Among the 1335 white men with HIV, who were also infected with Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus (HHV-8), 401 KS cases were identified. The effects of several drugs were examined. There was no association between the development of Kaposi's sarcoma and cannabis use.
Researches concluded that "these findings do not support a biological association between use of these substances and KS development in HIV- and HHV-8-coinfected homosexual men."
In 2007 experimental research with cells had found that the presence of THC in low concentrations, which are found in medical users of THC and cannabis, increased the infection with Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus in endothelial cells. THC, in a dose-dependent manner, also promoted other steps that lead to the development of Kaposi's sarcoma, a type of cancer mainly found in AIDS patients. Scientists called for epidemiological research to clarify the safety of the medical use of THC in these patients.
Source: Chao C, Jacobson LP, Jenkins FJ, Tashkin D, Martínez-Maza O, Roth MD, Ng L, Margolick JB, Chmiel JS, Zhang ZF, Detels R. Recreational Drug Use and Risk of Kaposi's Sarcoma in HIV- and HHV-8-Coinfected Homosexual Men, AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses, Dec. 24, 2008http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19108691 |
