Q. I would like you to know about medical marijuana for cancer. In her late 30s, my wife was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, stage 4a. It was a 6 centimeter tumor that had grown around the hepatic artery and portal vein.

At first I thought marijuana was just for nausea caused by her chemo, but then I found a study in the journal Cancer Research (July 1, 2006). It showed that cannabinoids specifically fight pancreatic tumor cells. I changed her diet and started her on a regimen, and she is now cancer-free. The regimen is being studied at the University of Wisconsin. I hope others can benefit from medical marijuana.

A. For years, marijuana research was suspected of being a way to rationalize people getting high. But as a recent article in Science News points out, scientists are now starting to take it seriously (June 19, 2010). The article you cite demonstrates that compounds from marijuana make pancreatic tumor cells commit suicide. Other cancer researchers have followed up with studies on its effectiveness against a range of tumors in test tubes, including breast, colon, glioblastoma brain tumors and lymphoma, a blood cancer. None is yet in a clinical trial, but this will be an interesting field to watch.

Q. What is the story about the toxic effects of zinc in denture creams?

A. Too much zinc, whether from dental adhesives or taken as a supplement, can lead to a copper deficiency. The possible consequences are anemia and neurological problems.

Dr. Lisa Sanders described a case in The New York Times Magazine (Sept. 6, 2009) in which a 64-year-old woman overused denture cream. Her balance was affected, along with the strength in her legs. She was almost unable to walk.

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