Psychedelic drugs could be useful to help women manage the distress of living with cancer, experts say today.
Dr Moran Amit of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA, and colleagues point out that women with gynaecological cancers face physical and psychological challenges throughout their treatment journey.
In today’s International Journal of Gynecological Cancer they write: “Late stages associated with poor prognosis, along with chronic side effects of treatment, often leave women with existential uncertainty stemming from unpredictable disease trajectory and continuous fear of death.”
They believe that the methods suggested to address distress in cancer patients, including cognitive behavioural therapy, “requires significant time commitment to change old habits”, which is not always feasible.
“Many gynecologic cancers are unfortunately diagnosed in young women where the burden of anxiety and fear is even greater, often related to the fact that young children may lose their mother,” the authors add.
They point out that psychedelic drugs, specifically psilocybin, have shown promise in treating anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and end-of-life distress.
This may be due to the drug modulating brain activity and encouraging neuroplasticity and changes similar to those of conventional antidepressants, but with just one or two sessions.
“There is a clear need for more well-designed protocols prioritising safety and exploring psilocybin, and other psychedelics, in this vulnerable population,” they write.
Their team are launching a trial next year to examine the effects of psilocybin for patients with advanced cancer on maintenance therapy, who are experiencing mental health difficulties.
Yaniv, D. et al. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for cancer related anxiety and depression. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer 19 July 2023; doi: 10.1136/ijgc-2023-004659
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