Psilocybin to Help with Emotional Challenges from Advanced Cancer
Psilocybin Therapy for Advanced Cancer-related Psychiatric Distress
This project is exploring if psilocybin can help people with advanced cancer feel better emotionally and improve their quality of life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11123369 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many people with advanced cancer experience significant anxiety, depression, and feelings of hopelessness, which can deeply affect their well-being. Current treatments for these emotional challenges often have limited success in providing lasting relief. This project is looking into whether psilocybin, a psychedelic compound, can safely and effectively reduce these difficult feelings. Previous work suggests that psilocybin-assisted sessions can lead to profound, meaningful experiences that improve mood, outlook, and overall well-being for months or even years. The goal is to see if this approach can significantly improve the quality of life for those facing advanced cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be patients with advanced or terminal cancer experiencing significant anxiety, depression, or existential distress.
Not a fit: Patients who do not have advanced cancer or are not experiencing significant emotional distress related to their cancer may not benefit from this specific approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could offer a new and effective way to reduce anxiety, depression, and existential distress, significantly improving the quality of life for patients with advanced cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Preliminary studies have shown that psilocybin-assisted therapy is safe and has promising results in reducing anxiety and depression in cancer patients.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University School of Medicine — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ross, Stephen — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Ross, Stephen
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.