Oral Ketamine in the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety in Patients With Cancer

Depression is common in patients with cancer. Current medications for depression, while effective, take several weeks to take effect. Ketamine has emerged as a drug with promise for cancer patients. In two reported cases, a single dose of ketamine induced rapid and moderately sustained symptom reduction in depression and anxiety with no adverse side effects. Benefit was seen in as little as 1 hour and sustained up to 30 days.

This study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation testing whether a single dose of ketamine improves depression and anxiety relative to placebo in patients with cancer.

Topic Depression Anxiety Palliative Care
Compound Placebo Ketamine
Country United States of America
Visit trial
Status Terminated
Results Published No
Start date 08 January 2012
End date 02 January 2015
Chance of happening 0%
Phase Phase II
Design Blinded
Type Interventional
Generation First
Participants 5
Sex All
Age 18- 99
Therapy No

Trial Details

Depression is common in patients with cancer. Current antidepressants, while effective, have an onset of action of at least several weeks. Ketamine has emerged as a drug with promise for cancer patients. It has been shown to potentiate opiate analgesic effects. Single dose parenteral and enteral administration studies in medically healthy treatment-resistant depressed patients have shown rapid relief of symptoms. A recent two patient case series reported a rapid and moderately sustained symptom reduction in depression and anxiety in palliative care patients following a single dose of oral ketamine 0.5 mg/kg, with no adverse effects. Benefit was seen as little as 1 hour after the administration and sustained up to 30 days. These case reports generate hypotheses of efficacy for ketamine in the treatment of depression and anxiety in patients with cancer. This study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of these hypotheses.

NCT Number NCT01680172

Sponsors & Collaborators

Mayo Clinic
This company doesn't have a full profile yet, it is linked to a clinical trial.

Measures Used

Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is a frequently used self-rating scale developed to assess psychological distress in non-psychiatric patients.

Data attribution

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