Ketamine-assisted Therapy for Patients With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2024-12-31
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
This clinical trial evaluates whether it is possible to use a single dose of ketamine in
combination with talk therapy to treat moderate to severe demoralization in patients with
pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who take opioids for cancer-related pain. PDAC
patients often suffer from high rates of psychosocial distress and pain. Symptoms of anxiety
are highly prevalent among PDAC patients. While opioid analgesia (pain reliever) succeeds in
managing some symptoms, chronic opioid therapy is associated with significant adverse
effects, underscoring a need to identify alternative interventions in the treatment of
PDAC-associated pain. PDAC patients frequently suffer from existential distress.
Demoralization is a form of existential distress that is common among people with serious
medical illnesses; it is characterized by poor coping with stressful events, and a loss of
meaning and purpose in life. Talk therapy is a form of psychological treatment during which
patients discuss problems, thoughts, and feelings. Ketamine has demonstrated efficacy for the
treatment of depression, suicidality, and pain in non-cancer patients. This study may help
researchers learn whether both ketamine and talk therapy may improve psychosocial distress
and pain, as well as decreases in opioid analgesic use in patients with PDAC who take opioids
for cancer-related pain.