Iterative Cannabis Care Plans are Associated with Higher Rates of Symptom Relief and Lower Side-Effect Burden in Oncology Patients

Authors

• Brooke Worster, MD, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
• Kristen Parton, MBA, EO Care
• Gregory Garber, MSW, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow

Document Type

Poster

Presentation Date

5-30-2026

Comments

Presented at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

Abstract

Background/Research Objective

Cannabis is increasingly used to manage cancer-related symptoms including pain, sleep disturbance, anxiety, and appetite or gastrointestinal complaints. However, patient responses are highly variable, clinicians report limited confidence in guiding use, and optimal dosing is difficult to predict from baseline characteristics. We evaluated whether an iterative, guided cannabis care model incorporating ongoing patient feedback and care-plan adjustments is associated with improved symptom relief and lower side-effect burden in a real-world oncology population.

Recommended Citation

Worster, MD, Brooke; Parton, MBA, Kristen; and Garber, MSW, Gregory, "Iterative Cannabis Care Plans are Associated with Higher Rates of Symptom Relief and Lower Side-Effect Burden in Oncology Patients" (2026). Kimmel Cancer Center Papers, Presentations, and Grand Rounds. Paper 86.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/kimmelgrandrounds/86

Language

English