Use of alternative therapy with Psilocybin in oncologic patients with depression and/or anxiety disorders - integrative review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v10i10.19297

Keywords:

Anxiety; Depression; Psilocybin; Oncology.

Abstract

Cancer is not limited to the physical dimension, but it also affects the entire biopsychosocial context in which the patient is inserted, making him more susceptible to psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. These often require pharmacological intervention, and the use of psilocybin, a substance found in mushroom species, is one of the alternatives considered today. The present study aims to carry out an integrative review regarding the use of alternative therapies, in this case Psilocybin, in cancer patients suffering from anxiety and / or depression disorders. The type of study carried out was an integrative literature review, which was based on a bibliographic survey of texts published between 2010 and 2021 on the PubMed platform. This survey took place between December 2020 and February 2021, with a review of three articles in total. Studies show a potential new line of alternative treatment for anxiety and depression in cancer patients, the use of psilocybin. The treatment is done quickly, sustained and lasting, in conjunction with psychotherapy there is improvement in a single dose. All the studies analyzed so far have been shown to be effective for the treatment of anxiety and depression in cancer patients. With this, psilocybin can be an alternative therapy for those patients in psychological distress due to cancer, especially for those who did not obtain a satisfactory response with the use of conventional treatment, allowing that in the future the substance may become a definitive therapeutic modality for patients in psychological distress due to cancer.

References

Acosta, A. I. M., Krikorian, A. & Palacio, C. (2015). Distress, anxiety and depression in Colombian cancer patients and their relationship with perceived competition. Av. Psicol. Latinoam. 33(3), 517-529. dx.doi.org/10.12804/apl33.03.2015.10.

Alcedo, J. M. G., Serranoll, A. R. P. & Álvarez, J. G. L. (2015). Self-transcend, anxiety and depression in cancer patients receiving treatment. Barquisimeto 2015. Habanera Magazine of Medical Sciences. 15(2), 297-309.

American Psychiatric Association. (2014). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5 (5th ed.; MIC Nascimento, Trad.). Porto Alegre, RS: Artmed.

Andreatini, R., Boerngen-Lacerda, R. & Zorzetto Filho, D. (2001). Pharmacological treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: future perspectives. Rev. Bras. Psiquiatr. 23(4), 233-242.

Carreira, L. (2011). Prevalence of depression in institutionalized elderly. UERJ Nursing Journal. 19 (2), 268-273.

De Sousa, L. D., Lunardi Filho, W. D., Lunardi, V. L., Santos, S. S., & Dos Santos, C. P. (2011). The nursing scientific production about the clinic: an integrative review. Rev Esc Enferm. USP. (SP). 45 (2), 494-500.

Del Porto, J. (2009). Concept and diagnosis. Brazilian journal of Psychiatry. 21 (suppl 1). doi.org/10.1590/S1516-44461999000500003.

Galvão, C. M., Sawada, N. O., & Trevizan, M. A. (2004). Systematic review: a resource that allows the incorporation of evidence into nursing practice. Rev Latino-am Enfermagem. 17(4), 758-764.

Goldberg, S. B., Pace, B. T., Nicholas, C. R., Raison, C. & Hutson, P. R. (2020). The experimental effects of psilocybin on symptoms of anxiety and depression: A meta-analysis. Psychiatry Res. 284, 112749. 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112749.

Griffiths, R. R. et al. (2016). Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial. Journal of Pschopharmacology, J Psychopharmacol. 30(12), 1181-1197. 10.1177/0269881116675513.

Grob, C. S. et al. (2010). Pilot Study of Psilocybin Treatment for Anxiety in Patients With Advanced-Stage Cancer. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 68(1), 71-8. 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.116.

Halller, H. et al. (2014). The prevalence and burden of subthreshold generalized anxiety disorder: a systematic review. BMC Psychiatry, 14, 128.

Johnson, M. W., & Griffiths, R. R. (2017). Potential Therapeutic Effects of Psilocybin. Neurotherapeutics. 14(3), 734-740. 10.1007/s13311-017-0542-y.

Levitan, M. N. et al. (2011). Guidelines of the Brazilian Medical Association for the treatment of social anxiety disorder. Rev. Bras. Psiquiatr., São Paulo, 33(3), 292-302.

Murrough, J. W. et al. (2015). Emerging drugs for the treatment of anxiety. Expert opinion on emerging drugs. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs. 20(3),393-406.

Muttoni, S., Ardissino, M. & John, C. (2019). Classical psychedelics for the treatment of depression and anxiety: A systematic review. J Affect Disord. 258, 11-24. 10.1016/j.jad.2019.07.076.

Pitman, A., Suleman, S., Hyde N. & Hodgkiss A. (2018). Depression and anxiety in patients with cancer. BMJ. 25, 361:k1415. 10.1136/bmj.k1415.

Ross, S. et al. (2016). Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 30, 1165-1180.

Stubbs, B; et al. (2017). An examination of the anxiolytic effects of exercise for people with anxiety and stress-related disorders: A meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research. 249, 102-108.

Vargas, A. S., Luís, A., Barroso, M. et al. (2020). Psilocybin as a New Approach to Treat Depression and Anxiety in the Context of Life-Threatening Diseases — A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials. Biomedicines. 8(9), 331. 10.3390/biomedicines8090331.

Vismari, L., Alves, G. J. & Neto, J. P. (2008). Depression, antidepressants and the immune system: a new look at an old problem. Rev. psychiatrist. Clin., 35(5), doi:https://doi.org/10.1590/S0101-60832008000500004.

Whittemore, R. & Knafl, K. (2005). The integrative review: updated methodology. J Adv Nurs, 52(5), 546-553.

Downloads

Published

19/08/2021

How to Cite

SILVEIRA, F. M. .; MENDES, A. P. .; SANTOS, M. R. dos .; CERCHI, J. R.; UMEDA, I. T. T. .; MELO, B. B. de .; CASABURI, L. E. .; OLIVEIRA, M. N. .; ABDALLA, D. R. . Use of alternative therapy with Psilocybin in oncologic patients with depression and/or anxiety disorders - integrative review. Research, Society and Development, [S. l.], v. 10, n. 10, p. e568101019297, 2021. DOI: 10.33448/rsd-v10i10.19297. Disponível em: https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/19297. Acesso em: 22 nov. 2024.

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 10

Section

Health Sciences

License

Copyright (c) 2021 Frederico Marques Silveira; Amanda Pereira Mendes; Mayara Rodrigues dos Santos; Júlia Ramos Cerchi; Iris Tiyono Tavares Umeda; Breno Basílio de Melo; Luiza Elena Casaburi; Mateus Nóbrega Oliveira; Douglas Reis Abdalla

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.