An upcoming trial may offer a pathway to reduce that suffering.
Researchers from the University of Otago, the University of Auckland and independent provider Mana Health are teaming up to help cancer patients with a new psychedelic-assisted therapy trial.
The trial is designed to assess the usefulness of psychotherapy augmented with MDMA (also known as ecstasy) in treating depression and anxiety experienced by patients with advanced-stage cancer.
University of Otago Hazel Buckland Chair in Psychological Medicine Prof Paul Glue said United States studies of psychedelic-assisted therapy had shown promise in treating post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety in life-threatening illnesses.
The researchers hoped the US findings would be similar for late-stage cancer patients in New Zealand.
"Depression and anxiety are very common in people with advanced-stage cancer and can really impact on the quality of life they have available.
"This could be a really useful way to help people who don’t have a lot of time, helping them work through difficult thoughts and emotions, including fear of death."
He said MDMA worked by temporarily reducing activity in the amygdala — the part of the brain associated with fear.
This enables many to address underlying emotions linked to life regrets, unfinished business, or past traumatic experience.
University of Auckland psychological medicine senior lecturer Dr Lisa Reynolds hoped the study would result in a new treatment being widely available for advanced-stage cancer patients in New Zealand within the next few years.
The trial would also enable New Zealand health professionals to be trained in administering MDMA-assisted therapy, with US-based Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) Public Benefit Corporation providing both the MDMA medicine and the therapist training for the study.
Mana Health medical director Dr Will Evans said the trial would involve about 50 participants receiving multiple sessions of psychotherapy, combined with either carefully controlled doses of MDMA or a placebo, administered in a controlled and supportive therapeutic environment.
"This treatment catalyses insight and awareness and can promote wellbeing and resilience in the face of suffering.
"In this sense, psychedelic-assisted therapy has the potential to completely change our approach to disease treatment."
