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Home/Research/Ketamine/Palliative & End-of-Life Distress

Ketamine for Palliative & End-of-Life Distress

11 papers and 14 clinical trials exploring ketamine as a treatment for palliative & end-of-life distress.

CompoundArylcyclohexylamine

Ketamine

A dissociative anesthetic with rapid-acting antidepressant properties, widely used in clinical settings for mood and pain disorders.

Full Ketamine profile
IndicationApproximately 40% of patients with terminal illnesses report significant distress at the end of life.

Palliative & End-of-Life Distress

Palliative and end-of-life distress represents a significant psychosocial challenge faced by patients with life-limiting illnesses, significantly impacting quality of life. Recent research suggests that psychedelic compounds, particularly psilocybin, may offer promising therapeutic benefits in alleviating existential distress and improving psychological well-being in these patients.

Full Palliative & End-of-Life Distress profile

Academic Research

11 papers
Paywallindividual

Efficacy and safety of esketamine for smoking cessation among patients diagnosed with lung cancer and major depression disorder: A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial

This multicenter, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial (n=236) investigates the efficacy and safety of esketamine (ESK) (8x35mg) for smoking cessation in patients with lung cancer and major depressive disorder (MDD). Eight weekly intranasal ESK sessions significantly improved both self-reported (44.1%) and biologically verified (28.8%) smoking abstinence at 6-month follow-up, alongside reductions in depression, anxiety, nicotine dependence, and respiratory symptoms.

Published
August 1, 2025
Journal
Journal of Affective Disorders
Authors
Hong, C. J.
Paywallindividual

Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression in Bipolar II Disorder

In a subgroup analysis of four adults with treatment-resistant bipolar II disorder, one or two 25 mg psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy sessions produced rapid reductions in depressive symptoms (mean MADRS 32.5 → 20.3 at two weeks, 21.3 at six months). No treatment-emergent mania, hypomania or psychosis was observed, indicating preliminary safety and potential antidepressant efficacy that requires confirmation in larger trials.

Published
February 27, 2025
Journal
Psychedelic Medicine
Authors
Meshkat, S., Kaczmarek, E., Doyle, Z., Brudner, R. M., Gomes, F. A., Blainey, M. G., Weiglein, G., McIntyre, R. S., Mansur, R. B., Rosenblat, J. D.
Paywallmeta

A transdiagnostic systematic review and meta-analysis of ketamine's anxiolytic effects

This transdiagnostic meta-analysis of 14 randomised controlled trials (most with high risk of bias) found that ketamine produced significant anxiolytic effects versus placebo at acute (<12 h; SMD −1.17), subacute (24 h; SMD −0.44) and sustained (7–14 days; SMD −0.40) time points. Subacute and sustained anxiety improvements correlated with antidepressant effects but not with peak dissociation, suggesting ketamine provides rapid and 1–2 week anxiety relief across clinical settings.

Published
April 2, 2023
Journal
Journal of Psychopharmacology
Authors
Hartland, H., Mahdavi, K., Jelen, L. A., Strawbridge, R., Young, A. H., Alexander, L.
Open Accessindividual

A Phase II, Open-Label Clinical Trial of Intranasal Ketamine for Depression in Patients with Cancer Receiving Palliative Care (INKeD-PC Study)

In an open‑label phase II trial of intranasal racemic ketamine (50–150 mg) given over one week to 20 advanced‑cancer palliative care patients with moderate–severe major depressive disorder, 70% achieved ≥50% MADRS response and 45% achieved remission by Day 8, with mean MADRS falling from 31 to 11 (p<0.001) and partial maintenance to Day 14. Treatment was feasible and generally well tolerated—adverse effects were mostly mild and transient—supporting larger randomised controlled trials.

Published
January 7, 2023
Journal
Cancers
Authors
Rosenblat, J. D., deVries, F. E., Doyle, Z., McIntyre, R. S., Rodin, G., Zimmermann, C., Mak, E., Hannon, B., Schulz-Quach, C., Kindy, A. A., Patel, Z., Li, M.
Open Accessmeta

Psychedelics, Mystical Experience, and Therapeutic Efficacy: A Systematic Review

This systematic review (s=12, 2022) finds a significant association between the mystical experience (MEQ) and psychedelic-assisted therapy (psilocybin, ketamine, ayahuasca) outcomes in ten of the 12 studies. Although promising, half of the studies were open-label and all with small sample sizes.

Published
July 12, 2022
Journal
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Authors
Knight, G., Rucker, J., Cleare, A. J., Ko, K.
Open Accessindividual

Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder

This randomised open-label study (n=24) found that two sessions with psilocybin (20 and 30mg/70kg) significantly improved depression scores for a population with major depressive disorder (MDD) up to 8 weeks later.

Published
May 1, 2021
Journal
JAMA Psychiatry
Authors
Davis, A. K., Barrett, F. S., May, D. G., Cosimano, M. P., Sepeda, N. D., Johnson, M. W., Finan, P. H., Griffiths, R. R.

Clinical Trials

14 trials
Not yet recruitingPhase I

Effects of Intranasal Ketamine on Depression and Anxiety in Palliative Care Cancer Patients (Keta-Care)

Open-label single-group early phase I feasibility study (n=100) of flexible-dose (5–50 mg) intranasal ketamine self-administration over 8 weeks for depression and anxiety in palliative cancer patients.

Started
November 1, 2024
Type
interventional
Blinding
none
Randomized
No
Registry ID
NCT06665568
WithdrawnPhase I

Ketamine-Assisted PsychoTherapy ViAbility in Treating Cancer-related Emotional Distress

This open-label trial (n=0; withdrawn) was designed to investigate the viability of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in treating emotional distress related to cancer.

Started
October 31, 2023
Type
interventional
Blinding
none
Randomized
No
Registry ID
NCT05344625
TerminatedPhase I

Ketamine-assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) for Patients With Existential Distress Associated With Non-operable GI Cancers

This open-label clinical trial (n=12) aims to assess the feasibility of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) for adults with non-operable gastrointestinal (GI) cancers suffering from existential distress.

Started
October 13, 2023
Type
interventional
Blinding
none
Randomized
No
Registry ID
NCT06001372
RecruitingPhase II

Pragmatic Trial of Psilocybin Therapy in Palliative Care (PT2PC)

Multicenter, quadruple-blind, Phase II randomized controlled trial (n=100) comparing a single oral dose of psilocybin plus brief existential psychotherapy versus a single oral dose of ketamine plus the same psychotherapy for demoralization in patients near end of life (≤2 years expected).

Started
October 1, 2022
Type
interventional
Blinding
quadruple
Randomized
Yes
Registry ID
NCT05403086
Unknown statusPhase II

Conscious Dying/Conscious Living: Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy

Randomised, double-blind, parallel trial (n=120) comparing two IM ketamine sessions with psychotherapy versus a naturalistic comparator in people with terminal illness; primary outcomes are STAI‑trait and DADDS.

Started
May 1, 2022
Type
interventional
Blinding
double
Randomized
Yes
Registry ID
NCT05214417
RecruitingPhase II

Psilocybin – a strategy of rapid antidepressant response in depression comorbid with cancer, a randomized double-blind study with the possibility of entering open extension

This double-blind, randomised controlled trial investigates the rapid antidepressant response strategy for depression comorbid with cancer.

Started
September 7, 2021
Type
interventional
Blinding
double
Randomized
Yes
Registry ID
2020-005037-32

Explore further

Search all Ketamine papers Search all Palliative & End-of-Life Distress trials Full Ketamine profile Full Palliative & End-of-Life Distress profile