Cancer therapy-The role of cannabinoids and endocannabinoids

Cannabinoids have recently been added to the therapeutic armamentarium of cancer, not only for their palliative effects (inhibition of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting) but also as antitumor drugs, based on their ability to induce cancer cell apoptosis and reduce neoangiogenesis as well as tumor cell invasiveness and metastasis. A large number of researches have reported the antitumor effects of cannabinoids on various cancer types (glioma, breast, prostate, skin, lung, thyroid, gastric, colon, hepatocellular, pancreatic, lymphoma and leukemia). Furthemore, the endogenous signalling system of endocannabinoids which share common receptors and manifest similar actions with cannabinoids, is also a promising field for the treatment of cancer. We present recent advances regarding ongoing research of cannabinoids and endocannabinoids in various cancer types.