Post: Psilocybin may improve mental health of people with cancer

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Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy improved several psychiatric symptoms among people with cancer, including anxiety and depression.

The therapy did not induce lasting phobia, paranoia or psychosis.

Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy significantly improved a range of psychiatric symptoms among people with cancer, according to research published in Nature Mental Health .

Prior research demonstrated psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy can relieve depression and anxiety; however, the potential benefits for people experiencing other psychiatric symptoms remained unclear. In the current study, researchers at NYU Langone Health evaluated previously unpublished data from two randomized phase 2, placebo-controlled crossover trials that included a combined 79 individuals with cancer-related distress.

Results showed psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy significantly improved anxiety, depression , interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, obsession-compulsion and somatization.

The approach did not cause lasting phobia, paranoia or psychosis.

“When administered to the right patient by a qualified therapist, this therapy has the potential to significantly alleviate end-of-life distress,” Petros D. Petridis, MD, clinical assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine, told Healio. “The major challenge now is determining how to roll this out in a cost-effective manner, assuming ongoing clinical trials further confirm its efficacy.”Healio spoke with Petridis about the study, the implications of the findings and the potential role psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may have for this patient population. Healio: How prevalent are psychiatric symptoms among patients with cancer? Petridis: The prevalence of psychiatric symptoms among patients with cancer varies based on clinical features. Generally, individuals with stage I or II cancers, which have better prognoses, report lower levels of psychological distress. However, as the prognosis worsens, the incidence of psychiatric symptoms increases. Research suggests that about one-third of people with cancer experience clinically significant psychological distress, a number that rises to approximately two-thirds as patients approach end of life. Healio: What motivated you to study psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in this patient population? Petridis: For many patients, confronting their own mortality brings significant existential challenges. They may reflect on their lives, experience regrets about past choices, or have suppressed thoughts and emotions resurface. This process can lead to significant anxiety and depression. Current FDA-approved medications in […]

Psilocybin may improve mental health of people with cancer