Oral Ketamine in the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety in Patients With Cancer

Ketamine has been reported to produce rapid antidepressant and anxiolytic effects; two case reports described sustained benefit after a single oral 0.5 mg/kg dose in palliative patients. This trial tested that hypothesis in oncology outpatients with clinically significant depressive symptoms.

Randomized, quadruple-blind, parallel-group design comparing a single oral liquid dose of ketamine 0.5 mg/kg to matched placebo in adults with cancer and HADS depression score >11; safety and symptom measures collected acutely and at follow-up.