A Study in Patients Reporting Cannabis Use Followed With an Application-Based Cannabis Journal

Launched by SCOT REMICK · Jul 21, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This study is looking at how cancer patients use cannabis and how it affects them. Because there isn’t much information available about cannabis use in people with cancer, the researchers want to gather real-world data to better understand patients’ needs and experiences. To do this, participants will use a smartphone or tablet app called Releaf™ to keep a journal about their cannabis use.

If you are 18 or older, have a cancer diagnosis, and are currently using cannabis purchased from a legal medical or recreational store, you might be eligible to join. You also need to be able to use a smartphone or tablet, read and understand English, and be treated within the Maryland Healthcare Cancer Consortium Network (MHCCN). Participants will track their cannabis use through the app and share information about their cancer treatment and health, which helps doctors learn more about how cannabis might help or affect people with cancer. The study is not yet recruiting, but it aims to support better care and guidance for patients using cannabis during their cancer journey.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Patients must be 18 years of age or older and able to give verbal informed consent to participate.
• • Patients must be able to speak, read and understand English.
• • Patients must report use of cannabis at time of study participation.
• • Patients must have access to internet and ability to download Releaf™ App (MoreBetter, Ltd.) to a smartphone or tablet and must use Releaf™ App (MoreBetter, Ltd.) for cannabis journaling.
• • Patients must be able to send and receive text messages, and be able to interact with web-pages on smartphone or tablet.
• * There are 2 scenarios that patients are eligible for participation, and are listed below:
• 1. Patients must have a cancer diagnosis for which they are receiving active therapy defined as follows:
• • Surgery - must be within a 30-day pre- and/or post-operative (peri-operative) window if single modality of care. Patients must be 18 years of age or older and able to give verbal informed consent to participate.
• • Radiation - must be within a 30-day pre- (simulation planning phase) and/or post-radiation window if single modality of care.
• • Any anticancer systemic therapy including hormonal, biologic, targeted, and/or cytotoxic chemotherapy. Understandably, numerous patients recruited under surgery and/or radiation will receive systemic therapy as part of combined modality therapy, which is permissible. Regardless, all details regarding cancer diagnosis, stage, and treatment will be collected from the EMR, which will be detailed in the informed consent document.
• • 2. Any patient in follow-up by their primary oncology care provider and/or AYA and cardio-oncology survivorship clinic(s).
• • All patients must be treated within the MHCCN thus ensuring access to clinical data in our system-wide EMR (Epic).
• • Patients must obtain their cannabis either from a medical-use store, adult-use (recreational) store or both. Patients must obtain cannabis ONLY from medical/recreational stores. Illicit (or homegrown) sources are strictly prohibited.