Is Psilocybin an Effective Treatment to Reduce Depression and Anxiety in Cancer Patients with a Diagnosis of an Anxiety Disorder, Mood Disorder, And/Or Stress Disorder?

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not psilocybin is an effective treatment to reduce depression and anxiety in cancer patients with a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder, mood disorder, and/or stress disorder. Study design: Systematic review of three cross-over randomized placebo-controlled trials published in peer reviewed journals between 2010-2016. Data sources: All articles were published in English and were selected from Cochrane Collaboration and PubMed based on if they were relevant to my clinical question and included patient-oriented outcomes (POEMs). Outcomes measured: Outcomes measured included self-reported anxiety and depression via the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), respectively. Results: Grob et al. (Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2011;68(1):71-78. doi: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry. 2010.116) found that controlled use of psilocybin when compared with placebo improved selfreported anxiety (p