Psilocybin for Pain in Advanced Cancer Study
This study is testing psilocybin (a tryptamine derivative) to see if it can help reduce pain in people with advanced cancer whose pain isn't well-controlled by opioids. Researchers want to find out if using psilocybin in therapy is practical and acceptable for patients. You might be able to join if you are 18 or older, have advanced cancer that isn't expected to be cured, and have tried or can't tolerate standard treatments. The study aims to enroll about 15 people. The study is currently unclear about its recruitment status.
- Study design
- This is a Phase 2, open-label study at a single center, planning to include about 15 participants.
- What's involved
- You would go through screening, an electrocardiogram, blood tests, preparation, evaluations, one psilocybin session, and follow-up visits.
- Compensation
- Not stated in the trial record.
- Follow-up
- Participants will be followed for up to 12 weeks (about 3 months) after receiving the study treatment.
AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.
NCT06001749
Psilocybin in Cancer Pain Study
Recruiting
PHASE2Ages 18+InterventionalTreatmentYvan Beaussant, MD, MSciInvestigator-initiated
~15 participants
Updated 2026-08-05 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Psilocybin
At a glance
Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Feasibility of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy
Measured over 3 weeks
+1 more outcome measured
Conditions
Where it's being run
1 sites across 1 statesMassachusetts1
Study leadership
- Yvan Beaussant, MD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Who to contact
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Do you actually qualify for this trial?
Add a private profile and we'll compare every criterion below against your situation — and tell you which ones are met, uncertain, or excluding.
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion
Participants must be 18 year old or older;
Participants must have advanced cancer, defined as a cancer that is unlikely to be cured or controlled with treatment;
Participants must have progressed on or be intolerant to approved therapies with a known clinical benefit (unless it is documented that they have refused such treatments);
Participants must evaluate their average pain on BPI Severity Scale ≥ 4/10 over the past week;
Participants must receive chronic opioid pharmacotherapy for pain with an Oral Morphine Equivalent (OME) ≥ 200mg/day;
Participants must have been seen by a palliative care clinician either at DFCI, MGH or associated satellites in the last three months;
Participants must have an ECOG Performance Status ≤ 2
Participants must meet the following organ and marrow function on their last available bloodwork as defined below:
Platelets ≥ 50,000/mcL
AST(SGOT)/ALT(SGPT) ≤ 5 × institutional ULN
Participants must be able to understand and willing to sign a written informed consent document
Participants must be able to swallow pills.
Participants must provide a contact (relative, spouse, close friend or other support person) who is willing and able to be reached by the investigators in the event of a participant becoming suicidal or unreachable.
Participants must agree to inform the investigators within 48 hours of any new medical conditions and procedures.
Participants must agree to the following lifestyle modifications (described in more detail in Section 3.4 Lifestyle Modifications):
Comply with requirements for diet,
Refrain from certain medications prior to Experimental Sessions,
Be driven home after each Experimental Session,
Commit to medication dosing, therapy, and study procedures.
Exclusion
Participants who receive concurrent (less than four weeks or planned within 6 weeks) cytotoxic chemotherapy or radiation therapy that may impair general level of physical functioning or affect study outcomes;
Participants with a condition impairing oral intake or digestive absorption;
Participants who are not able to give adequate informed consent;
Participants who have a significant suicide risk as defined by suicidal ideation with intent and with or without a plan as endorsed on items 4 and/or 5 on the C-SSRS within the past 6 months or at V0
Participants who have a history of, or a current diagnostic of primary psychotic disorder, major depressive disorder with psychotic features, bipolar affective disorder type 1 or history of or current dissociative identity disorder; and participants who have an ongoing substance use disorder (defined as active in the past year). Participants with first-degree relatives with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder may be eligible depending on their age and personal and family psychiatric history. The decision will be made by the principal investigator and study psychiatrist based on risk assessment.
Participants for whom there is a potential for adverse drug-drug interactions. Concomitant medications with significant potential to interact with study medications will be exclusionary if they cannot be tapered. These include the following:
Serotoninergic antidepressants
Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)
Efavirenz
serotonin-acting dietary supplements (i.e. 5-hydroxy-tryptophan or St. John's wort)
Centrally-acting serotonergic agents (e.g. MAO inhibitors)
Antipsychotics (e.g. first and second generation)
Mood stabilizers (e.g. lithium, valproic acid)
Aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors (e.g. disulfiram)
Significant inhibitors of UGT 1A0 or UGT 1A10 Any psychiatric medication will be tapered if possible in an appropriate fashion to avoid withdrawal effects. They will be discontinued long enough before the psilocybin Session to avoid the possibility of any drug-drug interaction (the interval will be at least five times the particular drug and active metabolites' half-life + one week for stabilization). See section 5.3 of the protocol for concomitant medications and tapering instructions.
Participants who have evidence or history of significant (controlled or uncontrolled) hematological, endocrine, cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, coronary, pulmonary, renal, gastrointestinal, immunocompromising, or neurological disease, including seizure disorder, or any other medical disorder judged by the investigator to significantly increase the risk of psilocybin administration (participants with hypothyroidism who are on adequate and stable thyroid replacement will not be excluded).
Participants with brain tumors or brain metastases that haven't been successfully treated
Participants with lab abnormalities that may contribute to somnolence, confusion or delayed metabolism of psilocybin and/or with severe lab abnormalities (grade 3 or more per CTCAE scale).
Participants with a diagnosis of cirrhosis or liver failure
Participants who have uncontrolled hypertension using the standard criteria of the American Heart Association (values of 140/90 milligrams of Mercury \[mmHg\] or higher assessed on three separate occasions)
Participants who have a heart rate \> 100 bpm on three separate occasions
Participants who have a history of ventricular arrhythmia at any time, other than occasional premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) in the absence of ischemic heart disease.
Participants who have Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome or any other accessory pathway that has not been successfully eliminated by ablation.
Participants who have a history of arrhythmia, other than premature atrial contractions (PACs) or occasional PVCs in the absence of ischemic heart disease, within 12 months of screening. Participants with a history of atrial fibrillation, atrial tachycardia, atrial flutter or paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia or any other arrhythmia associated with a bypass tract may be enrolled if they have been successfully treated.
Participants who have a history of additional risk factors for Torsade de pointes (e.g., heart failure, hypokalemia, family history of Long QT Syndrome)
Participants who have a history of myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease or heart failure
Participants who have a marked Baseline prolongation of QT/QTc interval. For purposes of eligibility, this is defined as repeated demonstration of a QT interval corrected on the triplicate ECGs performed at screening, using Fridericia's formula \[QTcF\] \> 450 milliseconds \[ms\] in males and \> 460 ms in females.
For transgender or non binary participants, QTc interval will be evaluated based on sex assigned at birth, unless the participant has been on hormonal treatment for five or more years.
Women who are pregnant, nursing, or able to become pregnant and are not practicing an effective means of birth control. Acceptable methods of contraception are the following: intrauterine device, injected/ implanted/ intravaginal/ transdermal hormonal method, oral hormones plus a barrier contraception, abstinence, vasectomized sole partner, or double barrier contraception.
Participants who have hypersensitivity to any ingredient of the IMP (Investigational Medicinal Product).
What this trial measures
- Feasibility of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy3 weeks
Feasibility of intervention is defined as at least 60% of recruited participants will complete treatment and all assessments.
- Acceptability of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy3 weeks
Acceptability is defined as \>= 70% of participants will evaluate favorably (agree or strongly agree) acceptability on the Reactions to Research Participation Questionnaire Revised (RRPQ V6b), a 23-item measure scored on a 5-point Likert scale.