Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41127918›Full record

ArticlePalliative & supportive care2025

Home-based psilocybin-assisted therapy for a patient with advanced cancer: A case report.

Houman Farzin, Benjamin Koren, Héléna Ferrier, Justin J Sanders, Nicolas Garel

Abstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Palliative & supportive care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Houman FarzinDivision of Palliative Care, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Benjamin KorenFaculty of medicine, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6515-3176
Héléna FerrierDivision of Palliative Care, Home Care Hospital Soins et Santé, Lyon, France.
Justin J SandersDivision of Palliative Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8928-4051
Nicolas GarelDepartment of Psychiatry and Addictology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, QC, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesPsychospiritual distress affects many patients with cancer, contributing to diminished quality of life, decreased survival and a desire for hastened death. The current standard of care, which primarily consists of antidepressants and psychotherapy, has demonstrated only modest benefits. Psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) has shown evidence of rapid, durable, and significant effects on measures of both depression and anxiety in this patient population.

methodsA 51-year-old man diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer, referred to palliative care (PC) with a prognosis of less than 6 months, experienced depression and anxiety in the context of demoralization and existential distress. His suffering persisted despite psychotherapy and treatment with 100 mg of sertraline. He was granted access to PAT through Health Canada's Special Access Program (SAP) and was treated with 25 mg of oral psilocybin in a homecare setting, with preparative and integrative therapy prior to and following the PAT session.

resultsPAT 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. SIGNIFICANCE OF

resultsPAT, 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.

Indexed as

NeoplasmsPsilocybinAnxietyDepressionHallucinogensHome Care ServicesHumansLung NeoplasmsMaleMiddle AgedPalliative CareHallucinogensPsilocybincase reportExistential distresshomecarepalliative carepsilocybinpsilocybin-assisted therapy

Identifiers

PMID41127918
PMCPMC13166358

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.