The PEARL-C1 trial is a phase II open-label trial. Participants will receive a single high-dose (25 mg) of psilocybin in the context of Psilocybin-assisted Existential, Attachment and RelationaL (PEARL) therapy.
Caregivers of patients with advanced cancer often experience high levels of distress but there is currently little evidence-based guidance on how to help caregivers who experience depression, anxiety, anticipatory grief, spiritual suffering, caregiving burden and/or impaired quality of life. Over the past decade, research has shown that psychotherapies incorporating existential, attachment and relational approaches can address the specific needs and challenges of the advanced cancer population and thus help to reduce related distress. Simultaneously, recent research has shown that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy, in which an individual ingests the psychoactive drug within a carefully monitored therapy, can reduce end-of-life distress and greatly benefit those with advanced disease. The multidisciplinary team has combined these two evidence-based approaches into Psilocybin-assisted Existential, Attachment and RelationaL (PEARL) therapy. PEARL therapy combines elements from psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy, including preparatory therapy sessions, a high-dose drug session, and integration sessions, with important elements from manualized individual psychotherapies designed for patients and their families facing advanced cancer. This study will assess the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of PEARL therapy among caregivers of patients with advanced cancer. This study will contribute to the growing research around the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies for the psychological distress associated with advanced disease and mortality. This type of therapy has the potential to improve quality of life among caregivers of those with advanced disease, to build upon previous findings to help outline the necessary components of therapy, and to inform public policy and clinical guidelines.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
15
Single high-dose (25mg) capsule of psilocybin taken orally in the context of Psilocybin-assisted Existential, Attachment and RelationaL (PEARL) therapy
Toronto General Hospital
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Recruitment feasibility as assessed by the number of caregivers who consent/number of caregivers who meet eligibility criteria.
Used to assess feasibility of PEARL therapy.
Time frame: 30 months
Retention feasibility as assessed by the number of caregivers completing primary endpoint measures/number of caregivers consented.
Used to assess feasibility of PEARL therapy.
Time frame: 30 months
Adherence feasibility as assessed by the number of caregivers completing all PEARL sessions/number of caregivers consented.
Used to assess feasibility of PEARL therapy.
Time frame: 30 months
Acceptability of PEARL therapy from the perspective of the caregivers of patients with advanced cancer obtained through qualitative interviews.
Participants will be interviewed regarding their experiences with PEARL, including acceptability and perceived positive and negative effects of the intervention, with a semi-structured interview guide.
Time frame: 30 months
Safety of PEARL therapy.
Safety will be assessed throughout the trial. Adverse events (AEs) attributed to psilocybin will be monitored for and recorded after the psilocybin session. This study will use CTCAE v5.0 to assess AEs. Serious adverse events (SAEs) will be tracked until study completion and will be defined as any adverse drug experience that: results in death; that is life-threatening (i.e. any AE that places the participant, in the view of the investigators, at immediate risk of death from the reaction as it occurs); requires hospital admission; results in persistent or significant disability (i.e. a substantial disruption of a person's ability to conduct normal life functions); or may jeopardize the participant or necessitate medical intervention to prevent one of the aforementioned criteria.
Time frame: 30 months
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Caregiver perspectives on the clinical relevance of potential PEARL therapy outcomes: Anxiety symptoms as assessed with the GAD-7.
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) is a 7-item self-report scale used to screen for and measure anxiety symptoms. Total score range is 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate higher levels of anxiety.
Time frame: 30 months
Caregiver perspectives on the clinical relevance of potential PEARL therapy outcomes: Depressive symptoms as assessed with the PHQ-9.
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a 9-item self-report scale measuring depressive symptoms. Total score range is 0 to 27. Higher scores indicate greater severity of depression.
Time frame: 30 months
Caregiver perspectives on the clinical relevance of potential PEARL therapy outcomes: Broad quality of life construct for family members of patients with serious illness as assessed with the QUAL-E (Fam).
The Quality of Life at the End of Life Measure - Family experience (QUAL-E (Fam)) is a 17-item measure that includes subscales assessing symptom impact, relationship with health care provider, completion, and preparation. For symptom impact, score range is 4 to 20, with higher scores reflecting greater symptom control; for the relationship with healthcare provider, score range is 1 to 5, with lower scores reflecting a better relationship with healthcare providers; for completion, score range is 1 to 5, with lower scores reflecting a greater sense of completion in their relationship with the patient; and for preparation, score range is 4 to 20, with lower scores reflecting greater sense of preparation.
Time frame: 30 months
Patient perspectives on the clinical relevance of potential PEARL therapy outcomes: Anticipatory grief as assessed with the AGS.
The Anticipatory Grief Scale (AGS) is a 27-item self-report measure of grief before loss in family caregivers. Total score range is 27 to 135. Higher scores indicate higher levels of anticipatory grief.
Time frame: 30 months
Caregiver perspectives on the clinical relevance of potential PEARL therapy outcomes: Subjective burden as assessed with the short version of the BSFC-s.
The short version of the Burden Scale for Family Caregivers (BSFC-s) is a 10-item self-report scale designed to measure the subjective burden of family caregivers. Total score range is 0 to 30. Higher scores indicate greater caregiver burden.
Time frame: 30 months
Caregiver perspectives on the clinical relevance of potential PEARL therapy outcomes: Overall measure of spiritual well-being, meaning/peace and faith as assessed with the FACIT-Sp.
The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp) is a 12-item scale designed to measure important aspects of spirituality including sense of meaning in one's life, harmony, peacefulness and a sense of comfort and strength from one's faith. Total score range is 0 to 48. Higher scores indicate higher spiritual well-being.
Time frame: 30 months