Psilocybin Can Have “Profound” Impact on Managing Anxiety and Depression in Mesothelioma Patients

Many mesothelioma patients face a bleak prognosis, with survival often less than 18 months. They often become overwhelmed and depressed as they fight to improve their survival, but are forced to face their mortality at the same time. Now, researchers say the use of psilocybin, an hallucinogen found in magic mushrooms, may help improve a cancer patient’s outlook and can lead to “profound and enduring mental health benefits.”

The Journal of Psychopharmacology announced in an editorial of its special December issue that two of the “most rigorous controlled trials to date using the psychedelic drug psilocybin” found one “psychedelic experience” could bring significant relief to cancer patients suffering from anxiety and depression. In an overwhelmingly positive response to the studies by countless psychiatric organizations, the consensus is, “it’s time to take psychedelic treatments in psychiatry and oncology seriously, as we did in the 1950s and 1960s, which means we need to go back to the future,” according to the editorial by David Nutt, Imperial College London.

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine conducted a trial in 51 cancer patients with life-threatening diagnoses and symptoms of depression and/or anxiety. They found that patients who received a “high-dose” of psilocybin had “large” drops in feelings of depression and anxiety as well in death anxiety. In addition, they saw an increase in their quality of life and optimism. Nearly 80% of the patients reported a “moderately or greater increased well-being/life satisfaction.”

CNN reports in a Dec. 1 article that one patient who was suffering from metastatic endometrial cancer participated in the Johns Hopkins trial. After receiving a single dose of psilocybin during the study, she said, “it was kind of magic. As I took it, the cloud of doom seemed to just lift. From then on, I was fine.” The woman had seen little to no improvement in her depression when taking prescription anti-depressants prior to the trial.

Mesothelioma is an incurable cancer of the lining of the lungs, abdomen or heart caused by past exposure to asbestos. Nearly 3,000 Americans are diagnosed with the cancer each year. Research has shown that patients who focus on the power of the mind-body connection and choose to be optimistic and positive will realize a higher quality of life and may respond better to treatments. However, some patients need an effective medicine to lift their spirits when depression has taken hold.

In the second study led by the New York University School of Medicine, the team took a group of 29 patients with cancer-related anxiety and depression. After just a single-dose of psilocybin, the patients experienced “immediate, substantial, and sustained improvements in anxiety and depression,” as well an increase in their spiritual wellbeing and their quality of life. After 6.5 months, the patients had “sustained benefits in existential distress and quality of life, as well as improved attitudes towards death.”

Various studies have been conducted that show positive thinking results in the improvement in a patient’s health. Many physicians believe that when there is an improvement in a patient’s mood and outlook on the illness the patient can recover more quickly from surgery and other treatments. When feeling better emotionally, mesothelioma patients may see an improvement in their energy levels, mental acuity, sleep patterns and breathing even while undergoing treatments.

The results led researchers to conclude that, along with psychotherapy, psilocybin may be a quick, effective and lasting treatment for patients with cancer-related psychological distress.

It is important to note that these studies were conducted in medical settings and the treatment was highly controlled. More research needs to be conducted, and, according to the researchers, this type of treatment will more than likely always be given in a medical facility and not released to patients.

“Hopefully, the positive findings that they report will act to spur on other researchers in the field of psychopharmacology, particularly in relation to depression, anxiety and addiction,” said Nutt.

Sources:

Journal of Psychopharmacology
http://jop.sagepub.com/content/30/12/1163.full.pdf+html
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
http://jop.sagepub.com/content/30/12/1181.abstract
CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/23/health/veterans-dying-health-care-delays
New York University School of Medicine
http://jop.sagepub.com/content/30/12/1165.abstract

Steps you Need to Follow If You Have Been Exposed to Asbestos

Whether you are a Navy veteran who frequently worked around asbestos in a shipyard or a former factory worker tasked with making asbestos products, you should be vigilant in monitoring the dangerous effects this exposure could have on your health as you age.

Mesothelioma, a deadly cancer whose only known cause is asbestos, can develop up to 60 years after a person was exposed to the toxic material.

If you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos, use this infographic to determine the steps you should take to get the help you need.

Contact an Experienced Mesothelioma Attorney to Discuss Your Options for Filing an Asbestos Claim.

Because asbestos is the only known cause of mesothelioma, if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with this debilitating cancer, you may be entitled to compensation from the asbestos companies that put you in harm’s way.

Contact us today to learn more about your legal options for pursuing compensation.

Donate to or Help a Mesothelioma Charity This Season of Giving

I have written before about how many wonderful people I have encountered in this community. These warriors are individuals whom I admire and I am honored to know. However, all too often, these friends pass on.

I find my heart breaking to see how much my mesothelioma family has to go through, along with their families. It is so sad to see good people suffer unreasonably. Mesothelioma is a completely preventable disease, these deaths are completely unnecessary.

At this time of giving, think about making a donation to a charity of your choice that helps to combat mesothelioma. Every little bit helps and makes a difference. Pray for those suffering with this awful disease, and help to spread mesothelioma awareness whenever you can.

Anti-Cancer Drug Found Effective in Rare Cancers Could Be Used as Mesothelioma Treatment

The ability to halt the growth of mesothelioma cancer cells, and to kill the cells, often relies on finding a drug that can inhibit the cells’ ability to communicate. Cells communicate via complex signalling pathways, and finding the right one to focus on can mean the difference in survival in patients. Now, researchers report that the Notch signalling pathway may be the key to stopping cancer growth in rare cancers, such as mesothelioma.

Patients with a wide range of cancers who had mutations of the Notch protein were selected for a study conducted by researchers from the Institut Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus in France. They focused on the Notch signalling pathway because of its role in driving cancer cells to grow, divide, and spread throughout the body. In addition, they report the Notch pathway plays a role in growth of new blood vessels that feed tumor growth and helps cancers become chemo-resistant. The pathway uses four Notch proteins that transfer messages across the cell membrane.

Expert Insight

Dr. Christophe Massard

“One of the interesting results with implications for some patients is that the drug was active against rare cancers such as adenoid cystic carcinoma.”

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When the patients in the Phase I clinical trial were given LY3039478, a novel and potent Notch inhibitor, some of the patients experienced tumor shrinkage, disease stabilization and no further progression. These results were also seen in the rare cancer, adenoid cystic carcinoma.

“The results from this phase I trial prove that LY3039478 has the effect on tumours that was expected, by inhibiting the Notch signalling and thereby preventing cancer cell growth and proliferation,” said Dr. Christophe Massard, senior medical oncology consultant and chair of the Early Drug Development program at Gustave Roussy.

Pleural mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer caused by exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. The cancer, that affects just 3,000 Americans each year, is highly aggressive and is resistant to many current treatments. Care often follows the same protocol as lung cancer. Currently, there is no known cure for mesothelioma, but research such as this brings hope to the mesothelioma community that an effective treatment is on the horizon.

The trial results were presented at the 28th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Munich, Germany.

Caregivers and Nurses Deserves Recognition

November has come and gone, but do not forget the importance of taking the theme from the month, National Family Caregivers Month, forward throughout the year. “Taking Care to Give Care.” November is dedicated to caregivers throughout the country, and is also the month we give thanks for all our blessings. It is not a mistake that the two are in the same month.

The mesothelioma community is blessed with many vital, active, caregivers. The caregivers give of themselves totally for their loved ones- often neglecting their own health. The long term effects of this on the caregiver’s health is known. The continued stress that caregivers are under often leads to chronic conditions that many times go unrecognized. The stress of caregiving can have a negative long term effect on a caregiver’s health.

The statistics about the long term health effects of caregiving includes 17% of caregivers saying their health has generally gotten worse as a result of their caregiving responsibilities. The mental and emotional effects of caregiving show a staggering 40% to 70% of family caregivers have clinically significant symptoms of depression. These statistics, and many more, regarding caregivers can be found at https://www.caregiver.org/.

We have seen firsthand the important role caregivers play in the treatment and care of mesothelioma patients. Some would not have pursued additional treatment if it was not for a researching spouse, or an internet savvy grandchild. Every patient has a story to tell, and every caregiver does as well.

The toll that caregiving takes on people may not be evident to them as they are in the midst of caregiving. One caregiver whose focus for two months had been to get her husband well enough to get home accomplished her goal only to land in the hospital herself with a heart attack three days later. Another couple were walking in the hall and we immediately recognized the patient, the spouse’s appearance had changed drastically. Not only had she lost a considerable amount of weight, she had aged noticeably since his diagnosis.

Chances are all of us at one point in our lives will be in the Role of Caregiver. The importance of recognizing this role is not limited to one month a year. The statistics are impressive, but looking beyond the statistics, are the faces and lives of everyday people doing extraordinary things.

There are support and resources available for caregivers. Many of the resources offer different ways to connect for additional support. It is very important for you, as the caregiver, to realize that you need support and to take care of yourself both physically and emotionally.

Month: December 2016