Christina Visco, founder of Jenkintown-based TerraVida Holistic Centers, has seen her business and health intersect after she was diagnosed with breast cancer, writes Erin Arvedlund for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

In addition to chemotherapy, Visco is also ingesting 1,000 milligrams daily of RSO, or Rick Simpson Oil, which is considered to be an extremely high dose of medical marijuana.

So far, her tumors have shrunk, allowing her Penn Medicine oncologist to reduce the chemotherapy she is receiving.

According to doctors, her progress is thanks to traditional care, but medical marijuana may have played a supportive role by helping lessen nausea, pain, and loss of appetite, as well as helping deal with the anxiety of cancer treatment.

“Does Chris Visco know whether her tumors shrank due to the chemo or the cannabis? She doesn’t,” said psychiatrist Lynn Bornfriend, most recently with Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia. “But the patient’s quality of life improves dramatically. And that can further treatment along.”

However, medical marijuana is not an option for every patient, due to its price and that it is not covered by insurance.

Read more about Christina Visco at The Philadelphia Inquirer by clicking here.