Abstract PS1-01-27: Guided cannabis care and improvements in PROMIS metrics among cancer patients: a prospective assessment

Abstract Background: Cancer-related symptoms such as pain, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and gastrointestinal (GI) complaints often negatively impact patients’ quality of life. Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) instruments were developed to quantify these domains and provide standardized, validated measures for clinical interventions. Given the growing interest in cannabis as an adjunctive therapy, we sought to determine whether guided cannabis care could enhance PROMIS-defined symptom outcomes among individuals with active cancer diagnoses. Methods: A total of 52 patients were enrolled from multiple oncology centers, dedicated marketing efforts, and various cancer advocacy organizations. At baseline, each patient completed PROMIS assessments for Pain Interference, Sleep Disturbance, Anxiety, and GI Nausea & Vomiting, as well as an intake survey covering health history and other personal information. Using a Bayesian model built from existing research and real-world data, a cannabis care plan was developed by integrating patient profiling inputs into individualized recommendations for products, dosages, and times of use. A clinician reviewed the plan before sending it to the patient. Patients then had scheduled follow-up surveys every 1–2 weeks to monitor efficacy, tolerability, and potential side effects. Regimens were adjusted as needed, based on patient feedback, to optimize therapeutic benefit and minimize side effects. Outcomes were evaluated at 4 weeks and again at 12 weeks. This approach allowed investigators to track changes in PROMIS metrics and assess any correlation between cannabis interventions and improved symptom management.Statistical Analysis: The primary endpoint looked at the proportion of patients achieving clinically meaningful improvement - defined as at least a 3-point reduction in T-score from baseline in PROMIS domains. At 4 and 12 weeks, the percentage of patients seeing meaningful improvement was calculated. Results: After 4 weeks of guided cannabis care (n=52), patients reported notable improvements across all measured PROMIS domains:Pain Interference: 69% of patients achieved clinically meaningful improvement.Sleep Disturbance: 75% saw improvements in sleep-related symptoms.Anxiety: 81% experienced reductions in anxiety.GI Nausea & Vomiting: 92% reported meaningful improvement.For those who continued treatment through 12 weeks (n=21), the proportion of patients demonstrating meaningful improvement increased further:Pain Interference: 88%Sleep Disturbance: 80%Anxiety: 100%GI Nausea & Vomiting: 100%Only 15% of patients experienced side effects, which included dizziness, anxiety, feeling overly intoxicated, or elevated heart rate. Qualitative feedback indicated that patients appreciated having structured guidance on which cannabis products to use, how to dose, and how to adapt their regimens to optimize their outcomes. This close monitoring and individualized adjustment appear to have supported sustained engagement and symptom relief. Conclusions: These findings suggest that guided cannabis care may significantly improve cancer-related symptoms as measured by PROMIS, a validated patient-centered metric. The high rates of clinically meaningful improvement in domains such as pain, sleep, anxiety, and GI symptoms underscore the potential role of guided cannabis use as an adjunct therapy. Citation Format: B. Worster, K. Parton. Guided cannabis care and improvements in PROMIS metrics among cancer patients: a prospective assessment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS1-01-27.