Effects of Intranasal Ketamine on Depression and Anxiety in Palliative Care Cancer Patients

With progression of cancer, patients and their caregivers experience challenging emotional distress, which can make them feel depressed and very anxious. Patients with advanced cancer often do not have long to live. However, most antidepressants take a long time to act and cause unwanted side effects. There is hence a need for a fast acting antidepressant with fewer unwanted side effects. Ketamine is an effective and fast acting antidepressant originating from pain treatment, which has few unwanted side effects. It can be taken by a patient as a nasal spray when it is needed. The idea of treating depression and anxiety in cancer patients in palliative care with ketamine nasal spray is new. How effective ketamine will be at reducing depression and anxiety in patients is unknown . It is also unknown whether this kind of treatment will be safe and practical for palliative care patients. This study aims to answer these questions. Patients will be treated with a low dose (5 mg) of ketamine nasal spray and then measure its effectiveness, practicality and safety. Questionnaires will be used to measure these outcomes. If treating depression and anxiety with ketamine nasal spray proves to be effective, practical and safe, then it could help to improve the quality of life for palliative care patients and reduce the burden of their caregivers.