Written from the studies on PubMed, searched on 11 Nov 2026. Every number below comes from a study listed under Sources.
The claim
Posts online say that CBD (cannabidiol) helps with liver and biliary tract cancer.
Where research stands
We found 16 published papers on CBD (cannabidiol) and liver and biliary tract cancer. They were published between 2007 and 2026. None of them is a study in people. 6 were studies in animals, and 4 were only in cells in the lab. 2 papers are reviews that sum up other studies. 1 new study in people is running or will start soon, says the trial register ClinicalTrials.gov.
- 0In people
- 6In animals
- 4Only in the lab
What the studies found
We have not summed up these studies in words yet. The most important papers are listed under Sources.
Verdict
CBD (cannabidiol) has been studied for liver and biliary tract cancer in animals, not yet in people.
Unproven means: it was only tested in animals or cells, or there is too little or mixed data from people. How we rate claims
What this means for you: Results in animals or in cells often do not hold in people. Do not stop or change your medicines because of it. Ask your doctor before you start taking it.
Sources
- Cannabidiol-Ion Channel Interactions Represent a Promising Preventive and Therapeutic Strategy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.2026 · Pathophysiology · Review
- Cannabidiol (CBD) as a potential therapeutic agent for liver cancer: a comprehensive review of current evidence.2025 · Cancer Cell Int · Review
- Cannabidiol suppresses proliferation and induces cell death, autophagy and senescence in human cholangiocarcinoma cells via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.2024 · J Tradit Complement Med · In animals
- Cannabidiol exhibits potent anti-cancer activity against gemcitabine-resistant cholangiocarcinoma via ER-stress induction in vitro and in vivo.2024 · BMC Complement Med Ther · In animals
- Cannabidiol reverts the malignant phenotype of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via the GPR55/TP53/MAPK axis.2024 · Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj · In animals
- Effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD) on histopathological changes and gene expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model in male rats: the role of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway.2024 · Histochem Cell Biol · In animals
- A Novel Mechanism of Cannabidiol in Suppressing Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Inducing GSDME Dependent Pyroptosis.2021 · Front Cell Dev Biol · In animals
- Inhibition of hepatocarcinoma and tumor metastasis to liver by gene therapy with recombinant CBD-HepII polypeptide of fibronectin.2007 · Int J Cancer · In animals
- A Comparative Analysis of the Action Mechanisms of Cannabidiol, Cannabigerol, and Cannabinol in Human Cholangiocarcinoma Cell Lines.2026 · Molecules · In the lab
- Potential therapeutic role of Cannabidiol and vitamin D in Hepatocellular carcinoma: evidence from in vitro studies.2026 · Mol Biol Rep · In the lab
- Cannabidiol and Aza-BODIPY Coencapsulation for Photodynamic Therapy Enhancement in Liver Cancer Cells.2024 · ACS Appl Bio Mater · In the lab
- Cannabidiol and Cannabigerol Inhibit Cholangiocarcinoma Growth In Vitro via Divergent Cell Death Pathways.2022 · Biomolecules · In the lab
- Corrigendum to "Cannabidiol suppresses proliferation and induces cell death, autophagy and senescence in human cholangiocarcinoma cells via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway" [J Tradition Complement Med 14(6) (2024) 622-634].2025 · J Tradit Complement Med · Other paper
- Cannabidiol Enhances Cabozantinib-Induced Apoptotic Cell Death via Phosphorylation of p53 Regulated by ER Stress in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.2023 · Cancers (Basel) · Other paper
- Extracellular vesicles of cannabis with high CBD content induce anticancer signaling in human hepatocellular carcinoma.2022 · Biomed Pharmacother · Other paper
- Results of a phase I-II study on intraductal confocal microscopy (IDCM) in patients with common bile duct (CBD) stenosis.2011 · Surg Endosc · Other paper
