A new study indicates that a single dose of psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, could revolutionise the treatment of depression and anxiety in cancer patients. The trial showed that one dose, combined with therapy, significantly reduced emotional distress, with effects lasting over two years.
The findings are published by Wiley online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
According to a news release, people with cancer often struggle with depression. In this phase 2 trial, 28 patients with cancer and major depressive disorder received psychological support from a therapist prior to, during, and following a single 25-mg dose of psilocybin.
During clinical interviews conducted 2 years later, 15 (53.6%) patients demonstrated a significant reduction in depression, and 14 (50%) had sustained depression reduction as well as remission. Similarly, psilocybin reduced anxiety for 12 (42.9%) patients at 2 years.
An ongoing randomised, double-blind trial is currently evaluating up to two doses of 25 mg of psilocybin versus placebo as treatment for depression and anxiety in patients with cancer. This study is building on the single-dose study in an effort to bring a larger majority of the patients into remission of depression and anxiety.
"One dose of psilocybin with psychological support to treat depression has a long-term positive impact on relieving depression for as much as 2 years for a substantial portion of patients with cancer, and we're exploring whether repeating the treatment resolves depression for more than half of the patients," said lead author Manish Agrawal, MD, of Sunstone Therapies. "If randomised testing shows similar results, this could lead to greater use of psilocybin to treat depression in patients with cancer."
Researchers are now expanding their work to include multiple doses and larger sample sizes, with the hope that psychedelics, combined with psychological support, may become a new standard of care for cancer patients suffering from these conditions.
