Psilocybin therapy rapidly and durably reduces depression symptoms in cancer patients with major depressive disorder through a randomized clinical trial

Psilocybin-assisted therapy produces rapid and sustained reductions in major depressive disorder symptoms in people with cancer. The randomized clinical trial tests a single high-dose psilocybin session with psychotherapy against an active placebo control and tracks outcomes across short-term and follow-up periods. Depression is common in cancer care and often remains undertreated because standard antidepressants can act slowly and add side effects. In this setting, psilocybin is evaluated not just for symptom relief but for feasibility, safety, and durability in a medically vulnerable population. The reported outcome centers on clinically meaningful improvement in depression severity, with additional attention to anxiety, existential distress, and quality of life. The findings matter because they extend psychedelic therapy research into oncology and suggest a potential option for patients facing both psychological suffering and serious illness. The study also contributes evidence on how closely supported psychedelic treatment may fit within broader psychiatric and palliative care models.