Generally, many cancer patients use cannabis to manage side effects of their treatment, such as nausea, pain, poor sleep, and anxiety. Against this backdrop, Dr. Lurdes Queimado is leading the first study to see if smoking cannabis affects recovery after head and neck cancer surgery.
She and Dr. Mark Mims, supported by the Presbyterian Health Foundation in Oklahoma City, will study 220 adult patients who undergo surgery and reconstructive procedures. These surgeries often affect both appearance and important functions like swallowing and breathing.
During this research, patients will be tracked for six months after their surgery, rather than just reviewing old medical records. Cannabis use will also be confirmed through blood tests, instead of relying only on self-reports, which makes the study more reliable…