Psilocybin Therapy Eases End-of-Life Distress in Cancer Patient, Case Study Shows

Psilocybin mushrooms.

Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine, Université de Montréal, the University of Vermont, McGill University, and the Jewish General Hospital followed a 51-year-old man with metastatic lung cancer who was referred to palliative care with a prognosis of less than six months. Despite psychotherapy and treatment with 100 mg of sertraline, the patient continued to experience severe depression, anxiety, demoralization, and existential distress. Through Health Canada’s Special Access Program, the patient received a 25 mg oral dose of psilocybin in a homecare setting. Preparative and integrative therapy sessions were provided before and after the treatment.

According to the abstract, “PAT was well tolerated, with significant decreases in both anxiety and depression. The patient subjectively reported a sustained reduction in suffering and improved well-being at 2 months post-intervention.”

The authors note that this case demonstrates psilocybin therapy can be delivered safely at home and may provide long-lasting relief from the psychospiritual distress often faced by people in end-of-life care.

They suggest that future research should compare outcomes between clinical and homecare settings and help establish protocols and guidelines for home-based psilocybin-assisted therapy.

Researchers conclude:

PAT, when utilized within an appropriate therapeutic framework, may be safely delivered at home and may serve as an effective and long-lasting treatment for symptoms of anxiety and depression associated with psychospiritual symptoms of existential distress in PC. Future studies should examine differences in outcomes between clinical and homecare settings for PAT, and could include creating practice guidelines and protocols for home-based PAT.