Magic mushrooms might be key to quelling depression among people battling cancer.
A single dose of psilocybin provided sustained reductions in depression and anxiety among cancer patients diagnosed with major depression, according to small-scale study published Monday in the journal Cancer.
"One dose of psilocybin with psychological support to treat depression has a long-term positive impact on relieving depression for as much as two years for a substantial portion of patients with cancer, and we're exploring whether repeating the treatment resolves depression for more than half of the patients," lead researcher Dr. Manish Agrawal, CEO and co-founder of Sunstone Therapies, said in a news release.
About 25% of people living with cancer have depression severe enough it can impact their odds of survival, researchers said in background notes.
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