Cannabis use among cancer patients is rapidly expanding in both popularity and complexity, creating exciting challenges and opportunities for oncology pharmacists. From understanding a growing variety of product types to interpreting evolving clinical evidence on symptom relief, drug interactions, and treatment outcomes, pharmacists areessential in ensuring safe, personalized patient care. In this episode, we reveal insights and practical tools to empower oncology pharmacists in assessing, counseling, and monitoring patients using cannabis. Discover how this emerging therapy is reshaping oncology practice and could become a game changer!
By the end of the podcast, listeners will be able to:
Resource list:
1. Bar-Sela G et al. Cannabis Consumption Used by Cancer Patients During Immunotherapy Correlates with Poor Clinical Outcome. Cancers 12:2447, 2020.
2. Grimison P, et al. Oral THC:CBD Cannabis Extract for Refractory Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Phase IICrossover Trial. Ann Oncol. 2020 Nov;31(11):1553-1560. Bar-Lev Schleider L, et al. Prospective Analysis of Safety and Efficacy of Medical Cannabis in Large Unselected Population of Patients with Cancer. Euro J of Int Med. 2018 Mar;49:37-43.
3. Khoj L, et al. Effects of Cannabis Smoking on the Respiratory System: A State-of-the-Art Review. Respir Med. 2024 Jan;221:107494.
4. Lopera V, Rodríguez A, Amariles P. Clinical Relevance of Drug Interactions with Cannabis: A Systematic Review. J Clin Med. 2022 Feb 22;11(5):1154
5. Sauer MA et al. Marijuana: Interaction with the Estrogen Receptor. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 224:404-407, 1983.
6. Taha T et al. Cannabis Impacts Tumor Response Rate to Nivolumab in Patients with Advanced Malignancies. Oncologist 24:549, 2019.
7. Worster B, Hajjar ER, Handley N. Cannabis Use in Patients With Cancer: A Clinical Review. JCO Oncol Pract. 2022 Nov;18(11):743-749.
What skills and attitudes qualify me to be an oncology pharmacist? Join 2 authors of CAPhO’s new Competencies for Oncology Pharmacists in Canada to explore the 5 pillars of oncology pharmacist competencies. Listeners can reflect on their oncology knowledge and skillset and use the Competencies to advance pharmacy practice.
By the end of the podcast, listeners will be able to:
The ISOPP CAPhO 2025 Symposium took place from April 3-7th in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Delegates from all over the world travelled to participate, learn, and network, including Lindon Lin, from Australia. In this episode, Lindon will share their experience from an international lens, including differences in practices and what they took away from the symposium that could be shared locally.
Learning Objectives:
• Explain why CAPhO ISOPP was chosen to attend
• Reflect on the overall experience at CAPhO ISOPP in Victoria BC earlier this month
• Highlight symposium takeaways from an International delegate
• Discuss global oncology pharmacy practice from an Australian perspective
The ISOPP CAPhO 2025 Symposium will take place from April 3-7th in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. With participants coming from over 25 countries, you can expect Victoria to have a different feel than our annual CAPhO Conferences.
The international ISOPP template will gather pharmacists and pharmacy technicians from around the world to showcase their practices. We are seeing interesting innovations coming forward that could benefit others in their local communities. It will be an exciting event!
About the Author: Tina Crosbie
Tina Crosbie has been a clinical hematology pharmacist at the Ottawa Hospital for over 25 years and at Extend Pharmacy for the past 6 years.
Her research aims to optimize drug administration and enhance patient education.
Tina evaluates pharmacy education programs for CCCEP and actively volunteers for CAPhO.
She is the chair of the upcoming ISOPP CAPhO 2025 Symposium in Victoria, BC.
When it comes to vaccine-preventable illnesses in patients with cancer, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Listen to our podcast to learn how pharmacy professionals can help promote this public health measure in our highly vulnerable population.
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About the Author: Irina Rajakumar
“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn” – Phil Collins. This simple song lyric couldn’t be more representative of oncology pharmacy. The pace of advancement in this field requires the need for constant learning. We will explore how we can harness our expertise and ability to learn to become the teachers needed for others to excel in this area.
Learning Objectives:
About the Author: Melanie Danilak
AML treatment options have exploded in the past 10+ years including the approval of different regimens in the non-intensive management of the disease. This podcast will review current practices and considerations for infection prevention for patients treated with myelosuppressive AML regimens.
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About the Author: Jonathan Stevens
AINV is a common dose limiting toxicity that can impact adherence and quality of life. Pharmacists are in an ideal position to optimize management.
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When pharmacists provide education about oral chemotherapy medications, there are often recommendations regarding food around administration. This can lead to questions from patients about the well-known myth that sugar feeds cancer cells. Listen to an oncology dietitian as she provides tips on having discussions about sugar and cancer with your patients.
Learning Objectives:
About the Author - Grace Beda:
Grace completed her bachelor's and master’s degrees in human nutrition at the University of Guelph in 2013, and has since worked as a Registered Dietitian for 10 years in Calgary, Alberta. She spent the first 5 years of her career in acute and tertiary care hospitals, covering a wide range of wards from general medicine to surgery and ICU. She transitioned to outpatient oncology 5 years ago at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary in the GI radiation clinics, then spent a year at the Red Deer Cancer Centre as the only oncology dietitian where she provided 1 on 1 consultation for patients from every tumor group. She moved back to the Tom Baker in 2020, working in the Head and Neck radiation clinics, then moved to malignant hematology and specifically bone marrow transplants in 2021, where she has happily settled in as part of a diverse multidisciplinary team in the Southern Alberta Blood and Marrow Transplant Program.
References:
Alberta Health, Alberta Government, Alberta Health Services. (2015, May 1). ABOUT 4 IN EVERY 10 CANCERS IN ALBERTA ARE CAUSED BY FACTORS THAT WE CAN CHANGE. Retrieved from healthiertogether.ca: https://www.healthiertogether.ca/health-conditions/cancer/
Arends, J. e. (2017). ESPEN guidelines on nutrition in cancer patients. Clinical Nutrition, 36:11-48.
Dashty, M. (2013). A quick look at biochemistry: Carbohydrate metabolism. Clinical Biochemistry, 46:1339-1352.
FAO. (2011). Dietary Protein Quality Evaluation in Human Nutrition. Auckland, New Zealand: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Fenton, T. H. (2016). Systematic review of the association between dietary acid load, alkaline water and cancer. BMJ Open, 6(6): e010438.
Ford, K. A. (2022). The importance of protein sources to support muscle anabolism in cancer: An expert group opinion. Clinical Nutrition, 41:192-201.
Gallagher, E. L. (2020). Hyperinsulinaemia in cancer. Nat Rev Cancer, Nov;20(11):629-644.
Hamaguchi, R. I. (2022). Clinical review of alkalization therapy in cancer treatment. Front Oncol, 12: 1003588.
Liberti, M. L. (2016). The Warburg Effect: How Does it Benefit Cancer Cells? Trends Biochem Sci, Mar; 41(3): 211–218.
Mintziras I, M. M. (2018). Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity are significantly associated with poorer overall survival in patients with pancreatic cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Surg , 59:19–26.
Prado, C. L. (2022). Examining guidelines and new evidence in oncology nutrition: a position paper on gaps and opportunities in multimodal approaches to improve patient care. Supportive Care in Cancer, 30:3073–3083.
Vigneri, R. S. (2020). Rethinking the Relationship between Insulin and Cancer. Trends Endocrinol Metab, Aug;31(8):551-560.
Xiao J, C. B. (2020). Association of low muscle mass and low muscle radiodensity with morbidity and mortality for colon cancer surgery. JAMA Surg, 155:942–949.
Zhang, A. W. (2021). Hyperinsulinemia in Obesity, Inflammation, and Cancer. Diabetes Metab J, May; 45(3): 285–311.
For geriatric cancer patients with multiple comorbidities, the management of cancer may present many therapeutic challenges, so treatment should be tailored to this demographic.
Learning Objectives:
Hear from CAPhO's Research Committee Chair Tiffany Nguyen in the latest British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA) "Let's Talk About SACT" Podcast Episode.
In this episode Tiffany Nguyen sheds light on a variety of research projects currently happening in Canada. Topics include pharmacists managing patients treated with ICIs, a community pharmacy engagement initiative for oral anticancer drugs, research in climate stewardship, as well as international collaboration on research projects.
A very special thanks to BOPA for hosting and developing the episode!
To learn more, please visit the episode on BOPA's website
ICIs are increasingly being used in the management of oncologic conditions. Although it provides an effective treatment option with the opportunity for long-term positive outcomes, it has the potential for autoimmune toxicities with a variable and prolonged time course. Tune in to hear how the pharmacist can play a key role in imAE management in patients receiving ICIs.
The Topic of Episode 12: Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor (ICI) Management.
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Glenn Myers is a pharmacist with a focus in outpatient medical oncology at the Dr. Sheldon H Rubin Oncology Clinic in Moncton, New Brunswick. Glenn completed a BSc (Pharmacy) at Dalhousie University in 2011 and subsequently went on to complete his hospital residency at the Saint John Regional Hospital in New Brunswick. Glenn has been practicing in ambulatory oncology for over 10 years and focuses on clinical assessment and management of chemotherapy, oral anti-cancer and immune related adverse effects in patients with cancer. Glenn maintains an active role as the chair of the sponsorship committee with the Canadian Association of Pharmacy in Oncology (CAPhO). Glenn’s other professional interests include teaching and mentoring various levels of pharmacy learners, providing practical education to healthcare professionals, working with retail pharmacies to improve oncology patient care in the community, and performing oncology pharmacy practice-based research to advance the scope of oncology pharmacy.
Bringing a piece of Spain, and lots of practice advancing insights, back to Canada in this post-ISOPP recap from one of the ISOPP Travel Grant award winners.
The topic of episode 11: Discussing hot topics from the ISOPP 2023 conference in Seville Spain.
Learning Objectives:
For more information about the podcast, please click here.
Guest for this episode: Lauren Hutton
Lauren Hutton is the Clinical Coordinator for Oncology Pharmacy at Nova Scotia Health – Central Zone. Lauren completed a BSc(Pharmacy) at Dalhousie University, her hospital residency at The Ottawa Hospital, and subsequently went on to complete her PharmD at the University of Toronto. Lauren has been practicing in oncology for six years. Her oncology clinical practice areas have included ambulatory medical oncology, acute inpatient palliative oncology, and multiple myeloma ambulatory care. Lauren’s current clinical practice is as an interdisciplinary member of a medical oncology team where she provides care to patients living with prostate cancer receiving treatment with oral anti-cancer therapy.
Although continuing education is an obligation, it doesn’t need to be daunting. Professional development activities can be engaging, rewarding, and a regular part of your professional routine. Let’s explore ways to stay motivated and strategies to prioritize your learning.
The topic of episode 7: How to stay up to date in oncology pharmacy
Learning Objectives:
Guest for this episode: Tara Leslie
Tara Leslie attained her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (BSP) degree from the University of Saskatchewan. After several years of oncology practice in Calgary, she obtained her Board Certification in Oncology Pharmacy (BCOP) in 2010, acquired her Additional Prescribing Authority (APA) in 2013 and attained a Masters of Education in 2020. In 2017, Tara was the recipient of the Larry Broadfield CAPhO Distinguished Service Award for her commitment to CAPhO and contributions to oncology service. Currently, she is a Clinical Assistant Professor with the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta where she teaches oncology related curriculum in a variety of courses and is a part of the experiential education team. Tara maintains a clinical practice within an ambulatory hematology/oncology clinic at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. She is very passionate about lifelong learning and the important role that pharmacists have in supportive care for people with cancer.
Oncology drug funding processes impact treatment options available to patients. Frontline pharmacy practitioners have a key perspective and role that allows them to be more engaged in funding processes.
The topic of episode 10: How clinical oncology pharmacy team members can become engaged in and help improve drug funding processes
Learning Objectives:
For more information about the podcast, please click here.
Guest for this episode: Nicole Kennedy
Nicole Kennedy is the Systemic Therapy Manager of Pharmacy Services at Eastern Health, and currently manages oncology therapy funding for the Provincial Cancer Care Program and the Regional Medicine Program. She sits as a representative for NL on the Provincial Advisory Group for pCODR, and also for pCPA. Nicole is currently serving on the Board of Directors for NL’s Pharmacy Board as the hospital representative, as well as on the Board of Directors for CAPhO as Education Committee Chair for Pharmacists – Fundamentals. Nicole obtained her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree at Memorial University in 2015 and went on to complete a Hospital Pharmacy Residency through Dalhousie University in 2016. She obtained her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Toronto in 2020. Information and additional resources mentioned during this episode of the podcast:
Learning Objectives:
For more information about the podcast, please click here.
Guest for this episode: Miranda So
Dr. Miranda So is the Program Lead and Research Director of the Sinai Health-University Health Network Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in Toronto, Ontario. Miranda received her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, and her Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Her work focuses on antimicrobial stewardship in immunocompromised patients.
Information and additional resources mentioned during this episode of the podcast:
Jumping out of adult practice and into the world of pediatric oncology and transplant has opened my eyes to the infinite number of clinical questions remaining to be answered.
Learning Objectives:
For more information about the podcast, please click here.
Guest for this episode: Humirah Sultani
Information and additional resources mentioned during this episode of the podcast:
• History of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• Our History & Milestones in the Research and Treatment of Cancer and Blood Disorders
• BC Children & Women’s Formulary
• Sick Kids Drug Handbook & Formulary
• Lexicomp (Pediatric & Neonatal Lexi-Drugs)
• Micromedex (NeoFax/Pediatrics)
• Firstline Clinical Decisions
• Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) Clinical Practice Guidelines
• Children’s Oncology Group Supportive Care Guidelines
• Children’s Healthcare Canada – Helping Medication Taste Better
• Koontz’ Oncology – Articles, Selected Presentations, Book Chapters & Interviews
Cancer is often a scary word when we hear it and almost everyone knows someone who has it. In today’s episode, we take a deep dive into how pharmacy students early in their careers are being exposed to oncology. We discuss what makes students want to pursue a career in oncology and dig deep to understand why it really matters to them.
The topic of episode 6: Pharmacy student perspectives on oncology
Learning Objectives:
For more information about the podcast, please click here.
Guest for this episode: Judy Truong
Judy Truong is a second-year pharmacy student at the University of Toronto. She did her Masters of Science at the University of Toronto where she carried out research on colon cancer stem cells and then worked at a biotech startup called Acorn Biolabs for two years before starting pharmacy school.
The Climate Crisis is affecting all of us. As oncology pharmacists, we are on the front lines.
For more information about the podcast, please click here.
Advocacy organizations mentioned during this episode of the podcast:
- QID Climate Pharmacy Network
Information and additional resources mentioned during this episode of the podcast:
- WHO Climate change and health overview
- CDC Climate and Health overview: Climate Effects on Health
- Harvard Climate and Health self-paced program
- A great book recommendation: What Can I Do? by Jane Fonda
Oncology-specific topics mentioned during this episode of the podcast:
- The Lancet Oncology: Cancer and Climate Change
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Climate Change and Cancer
- The effect of natural disasters on cancer care: a systematic review by PubMed
- Carbon offsets: the popular climate change mitigation tactic by Vox
- The airline industry versus healthcare industry emissions
Guest for this episode: Shellyza Sajwani
Shellyza Moledina Sajwani is the current Chair of the Ottawa Hospital Pharmacy Environmental Stewardship Committee, and identifies as an oncology pharmacist working within both climate change and global health settings.
Shellyza completed her Masters of Pharmacy at Aston University, and later completed a PharmD at the University of Toronto and was recognized by the Canadian Association of Pharmacy in Oncology with a poster for her project in Gulu, Uganda on the safe and effective use of chemotherapy in a pediatric oncology population. Shellyza has also recently completed a certification from Yale University within Climate and Health.
The Climate Crisis is affecting all of us. As oncology pharmacists, we are on the front lines.
For more information about the podcast, please click here.
Advocacy organizations mentioned during this episode of the podcast:
- QID Climate Pharmacy Network
Information and additional resources mentioned during this episode of the podcast:
- WHO Climate change and health overview
- CDC Climate and Health overview: Climate Effects on Health
- Harvard Climate and Health self-paced program
- A great book recommendation: What Can I Do? by Jane Fonda
Oncology-specific topics mentioned during this episode of the podcast:
- The Lancet Oncology: Cancer and Climate Change
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Climate Change and Cancer
- The effect of natural disasters on cancer care: a systematic review by PubMed
- Carbon offsets: the popular climate change mitigation tactic by Vox
- The airline industry versus healthcare industry emissions
Guest for this episode: Shellyza Sajwani
Shellyza Moledina Sajwani is the current Chair of the Ottawa Hospital Pharmacy Environmental Stewardship Committee, and identifies as an oncology pharmacist working within both climate change and global health settings.
Shellyza completed her Masters of Pharmacy at Aston University, and later completed a PharmD at the University of Toronto and was recognized by the Canadian Association of Pharmacy in Oncology with a poster for her project in Gulu, Uganda on the safe and effective use of chemotherapy in a pediatric oncology population. Shellyza has also recently completed a certification from Yale University within Climate and Health.