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RecruitingLast updated: 24 September 2025

PaCCSC 031/18: A study investigating whether THC can improve anorexia in people with advanced cancerPhase IIb double-blind, placebo-controlled study of sublingual delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Hypera®) for anorexia in people with advanced cancer

Trial purpose

Medical clipboardSide effect and wellbeing

Tumor type

Multi-Cancer Multi-Cancer

Age

People18+

Trial acronym

PaCCSC 031/18

Clinical summary

Summary

You may be eligible for this study if you are aged 18 years and over, have advanced cancer, and have experienced a reduced appetite (anorexia) for at least 2 weeks.

Eligible partcipants will be randomly allocated to one of two groups. Both groups will take an increasing dose of sublingual wafers (taken under the tongue) before meals for one week before sustaining the high dose for up to 3 weeks.

In one group the wafers will contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and in the other group the wafers will be the same except they will not contain any THC (placebo). All participants in this study will complete a series of questionnaires and complete a food diary.

It is hoped this research will provide some evidence about the utility of THC for the appetite improvement in this population. 

Conditions

This trial is treating people with advanced cancer who have had anorexia for at least 2 weeks

Eligibility

Inclusion

• Age greater than or equal to 18 years;
• Advanced cancer;
• Anorexia for at least 2 weeks (defined as numeric rating scale [0 no appetite – 10 best possible appetite] score greater than or equal to 4) unresponsive to the optimisation of treatment of causative medical conditions
• English-speaking (or have an interpreter available);
• Written informed consent.

Exclusion

• Inability to take medications sublingually
• Severe hepatic impairment (defined as bilirubin greater than or equal to 3 times upper limit of normal; aspartate transaminase and/or alanine transaminase > 5 times upper limit of normal) clinically determined to be due to hepatic impairment
• Renal impairment (estimated glomerular filtration rate of <10 mL/min)
• Cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA score<26);
• Psychiatric disorders (severe depression or anxiety, personality disorder, history of psychosis, schizophrenia, and/or suicidal ideation);
• Acute delirium or delirium within < 30 days;
• Unstable cardiovascular disease (uncontrolled hypertension, unstable ischaemic heart disease, unstable congestive cardiac failure);
• Prior adverse reaction to botanical cannabis/pharmaceuticals containing cannabinoids;
• Pregnant, breastfeeding or unwillingness to use oral contraceptives;
• Substance use disorder (DSM 5 criteria; to alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines or simulants (excluding caffeine, tobacco).
• Recent use of cannabis or cannabinoids within < 30 days (based on self-report and urine drug screen at eligibility).
• Prescribed opioid, benzodiazepine, antidepressant, antipsychotic, corticosteroid, progestin, omega fatty acids and/or dietary supplements, which do not meet the therapies allowed at eligibility assessment
• Current participation in a clinical trial of another chemical entity.

Inclusion

  • You have had treatment, but your cancer has come back (relapsed or recurrent).
  • Your cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic) or has grown into nearby parts of the body (locally advanced).
  • Your cancer has not spread to other parts of the body, but it is not possible to perform surgery to remove it (unresectable).
  • You have the type of cancer, symptoms, or health risks that this clinical trial is focused on.

Exclusion

  • You have certain types of non-cancer medical conditions.
  • You have had certain treatments, surgical procedures or drugs.
Message

Clinical trials have complex eligibility criteria, and other criteria may apply for this trial. Ask your doctor about whether this trial could be right for you.

Participating hospitals

Recruiting hospitals

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More information

Trial Identifiers

Information on this page is partially produced from ANZCTR *. View further details about this trial on the registry via the links below:

Trial sponsor

Palliative Care Clinical Studies Collaborative

Scientific Title

Phase IIb double-blind, placebo-controlled study of sublingual delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Hypera®) for anorexia in people with advanced cancer

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