Many breast cancer patients use cannabis to ease the symptoms of the disease and its treatments, but few tell their doctors, a new survey finds.

In an online anonymous survey of more than 600 adults with a breast cancer diagnosis, 42 percent reported using some form of cannabis for relief of symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, pain, insomnia, anxiety and stress, according to the report published Tuesday in Cancer.

“They are not using it to get high, but to manage the side effects of breast cancer or the treatments for breast cancer,” said the study’s author, Dr.

Most, 79 percent, said they used cannabis during treatment.

The respondents reported using multiple sources of cannabis: Seventy percent said they used edibles, and 65 percent liquids or tinctures.

Moreover, 49 percent of the cannabis users said they believed that medical cannabis could be used to treat the cancer itself.

While acknowledging that cannabis can bring relief to breast cancer patients, Weiss is concerned that patients aren’t consulting with their doctors.

One concern, Weiss said, is that the liver is involved in the metabolism of many of the treatments as well as of cannabis.

More research is needed on cannabis use during cancer treatments to figure out interactions and dosing, Bernik said