Recently, South Korean researchers announced the successful identification of a new cannabinoid derived from the cannabis plant—cannabielsoxa—along with several other cannabis compounds “discovered for the first time in the flowers of C. sativa.”

The study was conducted by a 14-member team from various institutions, including Wonkwang University, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Kyung Hee University, Kookmin University, and the National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science. The team evaluated the anti-tumor effects of 11 compounds found in cannabis on neuroblastoma cells, finding that seven of them “exhibited strong inhibitory activity.”

According to the authors, this discovery represents “the first step in the development of drugs to treat neuroblastoma.” Neuroblastoma primarily affects young children, accounting for approximately 6% of all childhood cancers. It is the most common solid tumor in children and the most prevalent malignant tumor during the first year of life.

Published this month in the journal Pharmaceutics, the study reports that researchers used chromatography techniques to isolate the compounds, analyzed their molecular structures, and assessed their toxicity to neuroblastoma cells using metabolic testing methods.

The report states:

“This study successfully isolated a new cannabinoid, cannabielsoxa, along with six known cannabinoids, a new dihydroporphyrin compound—132-hydroxy-pheophytin a ethyl ester—and three other dihydroporphyrin compounds, all discovered for the first time in the flowers of C. sativa.”

Researchers found that these substances, along with five known cannabinoids—CBD, CBDA, CBDA-ME, Delta-8 THC, and CBC—“can be regarded as potential compounds with anti-neuroblastoma properties.”

The paper notes that the anti-tumor analysis revealed that “cannabinoid compounds exhibited stronger inhibitory effects on neuroblastoma cells than dihydroporphyrin compounds.” However, cannabielsoxa was not among the compounds identified as having potential toxicity toward neuroblastoma cells.

Also this month, American researchers published what they described as “the largest meta-analysis to date on medical cannabis and its effects on cancer-related symptoms.” The results showed an “overwhelming scientific consensus” on the therapeutic effects of cannabis.

Published in Frontiers in Oncology, the meta-analysis covered data from 10,641 peer-reviewed studies—more than ten times the number included in the second-largest review on the topic. The findings revealed a “strong and growing consensus among the scientific community” regarding cannabis’ therapeutic benefits, “particularly in cancer treatment.”

Given the current “scattered and uneven” state of research on cannabis’ therapeutic potential, the authors said the study aimed to “systematically evaluate the existing literature on medical cannabis, focusing on its therapeutic potential, safety, and role in cancer care.”

“We anticipated controversy, but found an overwhelming consensus in the scientific community,” said lead author Ryan Castle, Chief Research Officer at the Whole Health Cancer Institute, in a statement. “This is one of the clearest and most compelling validations of medical cannabis in cancer care ever conducted by the scientific community.”

In a press release, the Whole Health Cancer Institute stated that for “every one study showing cannabis is ineffective, three studies show it is effective. This 3:1 ratio, particularly in a rigorous field like biomedical research, is not merely unusual—it’s extraordinary.”

The institute added that “the level of consensus found here is comparable to, or even exceeds, that of many FDA-approved drugs.”

Another study published in February, focusing on medical cannabis patients in Minnesota, found that cancer patients reported “significant improvement in cancer-related symptoms” after using cannabis. However, it also noted that the high cost of cannabis may pose a financial burden to economically disadvantaged patients, raising concerns about the affordability and accessibility of this therapy.

The U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimated last year that approximately 20% to 40% of patients undergoing cancer treatment use medical cannabis products to manage cancer-related symptoms and side effects of treatment.

According to the NCI:

“As more states legalize cannabis for medical use, cannabis products are becoming increasingly popular among cancer patients. However, research into which cannabis products can safely and effectively relieve cancer symptoms and treatment-related side effects significantly lags behind.”

The article references a series of scientific papers published in JNCI Monographs, totaling 14 reports. These detail federally funded research on cannabis involving patients from cancer centers across the U.S., located in regions where cannabis is fully legal, legal for medical use only, or still illegal.

Overall, nearly one-third (32.9%) of patients reported using cannabis, primarily for managing cancer symptoms such as insomnia, pain, and mood changes. The most commonly reported benefits were “relief from pain, sleep issues, stress, and anxiety, as well as treatment side effects.”

Additionally, a recent study in Discover Oncology concluded that multiple cannabinoids, including THC, CBD, and CBG, “show strong potential as anticancer agents through multiple mechanisms,” and may inhibit tumor growth and spread. However, the authors acknowledged several challenges remain in integrating cannabis into cancer care, including regulatory hurdles and the need to determine optimal dosages. Further research is still needed on the anticancer properties of cannabinoids.