Mood and Pain Responses to Repeat Dose Intramuscular Ketamine in a Depressed Patient with Advanced Cancer
Abstract
Depression is highly prevalent in patients with advanced cancer, commonly affecting quality of life. Considering the response delay with conventional antidepressants and the short life expectancy for these patients, treatments for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) with faster onset of action are desirable. In this case report, a female patient with metastatic ovarian cancer presented rapid and sustained response to intramuscular (IM) injections of ketamine (1mg/kg). Over a course of six treatments, her mood response was identical on each occasion and provided remission of her depressive symptoms. Pain was also improved, although for a shorter duration. These findings support the use of IM ketamine as a possible antidepressant option for this population.
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Since 2008, 11 case studies administered ketamine in varying dosages to 12 palliative or hospice patients to treat anxiety, depression, and suicidality.
“Since 2008, 11 case studies were published in which ketamine was administered in varying dosages to a total of 12 palliative-or hospice care patients to treat anxiety, depression, and suicidality”
From Psychedelics for the treatment of depression, anxiety, and existential distress in patients with a terminal illness: a systematic review (2022) · cites this paper as Zanicotti et al., 2012
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- Authors
- Zanicotti, C. G., Perez, D., & Glue, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Otago (NZ)
- University of Otago
- Corresponding author
- Zanicotti, Claudia Grott
- ORCID
- Glue, Paul
- Venue
- Journal of Palliative Medicine
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2012-04
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 400-403
- ISSN
- 1096-6218 (ISSN-L)
- 1557-7740
- OpenAlex
- W2080494792
- Cited by
- 52
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 7
- FWCI
- 4.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Palliative Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Otago Medical Research Foundation
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Electroconvulsive Therapy Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Pain Management and Opioid Use
- Keywords
- intramuscular ketamine, major depressive disorder, advanced cancer, metastatic ovarian cancer, rapid-acting antidepressants, analgesia
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Anesthetics, Dissociative, Major Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Injections, Intramuscular, Ketamine, Neoplasms, Pain, Pain Measurement, Psychometrics, Quality of Life, Statistics as Topic, Disease Progression, Dysthymic Disorder
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