Journal of Clinical Oncology
June 1, 2022
Manish Agrawal, Paul Thambi, Sarah Shnayder
3 citations
A single 25 mg dose of psilocybin, given in a group setting within a cancer center, produced a large and sustained reduction in depression symptoms in cancer patients with major depressive disorder. Over eight weeks, depression scores on the MADRS scale dropped by an average of 19.1 points, 24 of 30 patients achieved a sustained response (at least 50% reduction), and half showed complete remission one week after treatment, maintained through eight weeks. No serious adverse events occurred, and all 30 patients completed the trial. The results suggest that psilocybin therapy is safe, feasible, and effective for this population, and that group treatment may improve scalability.
Journal of Clinical Oncology
June 1, 2023
Manish Agrawal, Sarah Shnayder, Heather Honstein et al.
2 citations
A single dose of psilocybin combined with group and individual psychological support led to long-term relief from depression in cancer patients with major depressive disorder. At 18 months, 64.2% of patients showed a clinical response (at least 50% reduction in depression scores) and 57.1% achieved full remission. Depression and anxiety severity scores continued to decrease from baseline to 8 weeks and through 18 months. The findings suggest psilocybin-assisted therapy may be an effective treatment for depression in people with cancer.
Journal of Clinical Oncology
June 1, 2024
Amrit Baral, Yue Pan, Alberto J. Caban Martinez et al.
Among a large US-representative sample of adults, 14% reported lifetime use of classic psychedelics (LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, or peyote). Use was lowest among those with a past cancer diagnosis (12.3%) compared to those recently diagnosed (14.0%) or with no cancer history (14.1%). Each psychedelic was used more often by recently diagnosed than past-diagnosed adults. Among 18-to-34-year-olds, recent cancer patients had about 3.5 times higher odds of peyote use than those without cancer. In adults aged 50 or older, past cancer diagnosis was linked to 21% lower odds of peyote use. The findings suggest patterns of psychedelic use differ by cancer history and age, though the study cannot determine whether use preceded or followed diagnosis.