Protocol - Medical Cannabis Provider-Patient Communication

Description

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Supplement Cannabis Core Measures Questionnaire is a 37-item survey primarily used by NCI-designated cancer centers in regions with varying state cannabis laws to determine cannabis use and perceived harms and benefits among cancer patients. This protocol includes four questions (listed as questions 7–10) from the 37-item National Supplement Cannabis Core Measures Questionnaire. These 4 self-administered questions ask whether the participant has discussed using cannabis with their healthcare provider for their cancer symptoms or diagnosis and with what type of healthcare provider they communicated.

Specific Instructions

The PhenX Substance Use and Recovery Working Group (WG) notes that this is a cancer-specific protocol, so the question about “cancer symptoms” could be replaced with “health symptoms” or “health diagnosis” and expand the list of provider types to make it more inclusive of other reasons people might take cannabis.

Protocols may include terms and language that could be triggering to respondents. Investigators are encouraged to have resources in place to help respondents cope with triggers as needed.

Terminology related to substances, substance use, and recovery is fluid. Updates in protocol language may be appropriate based on circumstance. Suggestions for revision have been offered to update answer responses or other components of the questionnaires to account for the constantly changing landscape. These suggestions have not been tested or validated in research studies but may be considered by investigators to enhance relevance.

Availability

This protocol is freely available; permission not required for use.

Protocol

NCI Supplement Cannabis Core Measures Questionnaire

When we use the term "cannabis" we are referring to any:

Marijuana

Cannabis concentrates

Edibles, lotions, ointments, tinctures containing cannabis

CBD-only products

Pharmaceutical or prescription cannabinoids (e.g., dronabinol, nabilone, Marinol, Syndros, Cesamet)

Other products made with cannabis

[ASK ALL]

1. Have you discussed using cannabis for your cancer symptoms with a healthcare provider? [CM_DISC]

[ ] Yes

[ ] No --> SKIP PATTERN

[ASK IF CM_DISC = YES]

2. What type of healthcare provider have you talked to about cannabis? Select all that apply. [CM_DISC_01 - CM_DISC_06]

[ ] Primary care provider

[ ] Oncologist involved with your cancer treatment

[ ] Nurse or physician’s assistant involved with your cancer treatment

[ ] Pharmacist

[ ] Nutritionist or dietician

[ ] Another healthcare professional

[ASK ALL]

3. At any time since your cancer diagnosis, has your doctor or another healthcare provider recommended that you use cannabis? [CM_RECC]

[ ] Yes

[ ] No --> SKIP PATTERN

[ASK IF CM_RECC = YES]

4. What type of healthcare provider recommended you use cannabis? Select all that apply. [CM_RECC_01 - CM_RECC_06]

[ ] Primary care provider

[ ] Oncologist involved with your cancer treatment

[ ] Nurse or physician’s assistant involved with your cancer treatment

[ ] Pharmacist

[ ] Nutritionist or dietician

[ ] Another healthcare professional

Personnel and Training Required

None

Equipment Needs

None

Requirements

Requirement Category	Required
Major equipment	No
Specialized training	No
Specialized requirements for biospecimen collection	No
Average time of greater than 15 minutes in an unaffected individual	No

Mode of Administration

Self-administered questionnaire

Lifestage

Adult, Senior, Pregnancy

Participants

Adults, age 18 and older with a cancer diagnosis

Selection Rationale

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Supplement Cannabis Core Measures Questionnaire is a well-established, publicly available questionnaire used by cancer centers to determine cannabis use among cancer patients.

Language

English

Standards

Standard	Name	ID	Source

Derived Variables

Not Applicable

Process and Review

Not Applicable

Protocol Name from Source

National Cancer Institute (NCI) Supplement Cannabis Core Measures Questionnaire, items 7–10. These questions are a part of the larger 37-item questionnaire.

Source

National Cancer Institute (NCI) Supplement Cannabis Core Measures Questionnaire, questions 7–10. Available from the NCI Division of Cancer Control & Population - Assessing the Benefits and Harms of Cannabis and Cannabinoid Use in Adult Cancer Patients website: https://epi.grants.cancer.gov/clinical/nci-cannabis-supplement-core-measures-questionnaire.pdf

General References

Ellison, G. L., Alejandro Salicrup, L., Freedman, A. N., Fu, Y., Ross, S., Johnson, R. L., Bakos, A., & White, J. D. (2021). The National Cancer Institute and cannabis and cannabinoids research. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Monographs, 2021(58), 35–38. https://doi.org/10.1093/jncimonographs/lgab014

Ellison, G. L., Helzlsouer, K. J., Rosenfield, S. M., Kim, Y., Ashare, R. L., Blaes, A. H., Cullen, J., Doran, N., Ebbert, J. O., Egan, K. M., Heffner, J. L., Lee, R. T., McClure, E. A., McDaniels-Davidson, C., Meghani, S. H., Newcomb, P. A., Nugent, S., Hernandez-Ortega, N., Salz, T., Vidot, D. C., … Zylla, D. M. (2024). Perceptions, prevalence, and patterns of cannabis use among cancer patients treated at 12 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Monographs, 2024(66), 202–217. https://doi.org/10.1093/jncimonographs/lgae029

Protocol ID

511301

Variables

Export Variables

Variable Name	Variable ID	Variable Description	dbGaP Mapping

Assessment of Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders

Measure Name

Medical Cannabis Provider-Patient Communication

Release Date

January 30, 2025

Definition

This measure is to determine whether the participant’s healthcare team is aware of use and/or recommended use of medical cannabis.

Purpose

Whether or not a provider recommended and/or is aware of medical cannabis use can provide insight into types of cannabis being used. Most states with legal medical cannabis require healthcare providers to recommend a specific form or cannabis and route of administration. Additionally, states with legal medical cannabis are more likely to have requirements for reporting amount of THC and other cannabinoids.

Keywords

cannabis, medical cannabis, marijuana, substance use, National Institutes of Health, NIH, cannabis concentrates, cannabinoids, edibles, tetrahydrocannabinol THC, cannabidiol, CBD

Measure Protocols

Protocol ID	Protocol Name
511301	Medical Cannabis Provider-Patient Communication