A phase 2 trial shows that a single dose of psilocybin provides lasting relief from symptoms of depression and anxiety.
New results from a clinical trial show that a single dose of psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in mushrooms, can lead to lasting reductions in depression and anxiety in people with cancer who have major depressive disorder. The findings were published online by Wiley in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
Depression in cancer patients and treatment setup
People with cancer often experience depression. In this phase 2 trial, 28 patients with both cancer and major depressive disorder received psychological support from a therapist before, during, and after taking a single 25-mg dose of psilocybin.
Two years later, clinical interviews showed that 15 patients (53.6%) had a significant reduction in depression, and 14 (50%) experienced both sustained improvement and remission. Psilocybin also reduced anxiety in 12 patients (42.9%) over the same period.
Ongoing trials for expanded treatment
An ongoing randomized, double-blind trial is currently evaluating up to two doses of 25 mg of psilocybin versus placebo as treatment for depression and anxiety in patients with cancer. This study is building on the single-dose study in an effort to bring a larger majority of the patients into remission of depression and anxiety.
“One dose of psilocybin with psychological support to treat depression has a long-term positive impact on relieving depression for as much as 2 years for a substantial portion of patients with cancer, and we’re exploring whether repeating the treatment resolves depression for more than half of the patients,” said lead author Manish Agrawal, MD, of Sunstone Therapies. “If randomized testing shows similar results, this could lead to greater use of psilocybin to treat depression in patients with cancer.”
Reference: “Long-term benefits of single-dose psilocybin in depressed patients with cancer” by Manish Agrawal, Kim Roddy, Betsy Jenkins, Celia Leeks and Ezekiel Emanuel, 16 June 2025, Cancer.
DOI: 10.1002/cncr.35889
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