Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy improves psychiatric symptoms across multiple dimensions in patients with cancer
Petros Petridis, Jack Grinband, Gabrielle Agin-Liebes, Connor J. Kinslow, Richard J. Zeifman, Michael P. Bogenschutz, Roland R. Griffiths, Stephen Ross
Nature Mental Health October 7, 2024 DOI: 10.1038/s44220-024-00331-0 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPsilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) may treat a wider range of psychiatric symptoms in cancer patients than previously recognized. Pooled data from two phase II randomized placebo-controlled crossover trials involving 79 participants with cancer-related distress showed that PAP significantly improved anxiety, depression, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, obsession-compulsion, and somatization. No lasting phobia, paranoia, or psychosis was induced. Improvements were consistent across both trials, suggesting PAP could serve as a comprehensive mental health treatment for this population.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 79 |
| Population | Patients with cancer-related distress |
| Intervention | Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Psychiatry Psychotherapist Hallucinogen Psychology |
| Citations | 10 |
| Key finding | Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy significantly improved six psychiatric symptom dimensions (anxiety, depression, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, obsession-compulsion, somatization) without inducing lasting phobia, paranoia, or psychosis in patients with cancer. |
Abstract
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) has shown promise in treating mood and anxiety disorders in patients with cancer. However, patients with cancer often suffer from more than just depression and anxiety, and so far, PAP's effect on other psychiatric symptoms remains largely unknown. To address this gap, we pooled previously unpublished data from two phase II, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trials involving 79 participants with cancer-related distress and analyzed PAP's effect on 9 psychiatric symptom dimensions: anxiety, depression, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, obsession-compulsion, somatization, phobia, paranoia and psychosis. PAP significantly improved anxiety, depression, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, obsession-compulsion and somatization without inducing any lasting phobia, paranoia or psychosis. Clinical improvements were consistent between trials. Together, our findings suggest that PAP has the potential to be a comprehensive mental health treatment for patients with cancer.