title: Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Clinically significant anxiety and depression are common in patients with cancer, and are associated with poor psychiatric and medical outcomes. Historical and recent research suggests a role for psilocybin to treat cancer-related anxiety and depression.
  
  
  
  In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial, 29 patients with cancer-related anxiety and depression were randomly assigned and received treatment with single-dose psilocybin (0.3 mg/kg) or niacin, both in conjunction with psychotherapy. The primary outcomes were anxiety and depression assessed between groups prior to the crossover at 7 weeks.
  
  
  
  Prior to the crossover, psilocybin produced immediate, substantial, and sustained improvements in anxiety and depression and led to decreases in cancer-related demoralization and hopelessness, improved spiritual wellbeing, and increased quality of life. At the 6.5-month follow-up, psilocybin was associated with enduring anxiolytic and anti-depressant effects (approximately 60-80% of participants continued with clinically significant reductions in depression or anxiety), sustained benefits in existential distress and quality of life, as well as improved attitudes towards death. The psilocybin-induced mystical experience mediated the therapeutic effect of psilocybin on anxiety and depression.
  
  
  
  In conjunction with psychotherapy, single moderate-dose psilocybin produced rapid, robust and enduring anxiolytic and anti-depressant effects in patients with cancer-related psychological distress.
  
  
  
  ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00957359.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA stephen.ross@nyumc.org.|New York University College of Dentistry, Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York, NY, USA.|Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, USA.|NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.|New York University-Health and Hospitals Corporation (NYU-HHC) Clinical and Translational Science Institute, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.|New York University College of Dentistry, Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York, NY, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bossis
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.|New York University College of Dentistry, Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York, NY, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guss
authors.affiliation: Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Gabrielle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Agin-Liebes
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Malone
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Mennenga
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Psychology, New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belser
authors.affiliation: New York University College of Dentistry, Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Krystallia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kalliontzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Babb
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: New York University College of Dentistry, Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Corby
authors.affiliation: New York University College of Dentistry, Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Brian L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011562:Psilocybin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006213:Hallucinogens; D011562:Psilocybin
keywords: Psilocybin; anxiety; cancer; depression; mystical experience; psychedelic