The Emerging Role of Ketamine and Esketamine in the Concurrent Management of Pain and Depression in Cancer Patients: Evidence and Implications for Practice
Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy December 27, 2025 Shannon Moriarty, Anna Dushenkov, Kathleen M. Frey
Cancer patients frequently experience pain and depression, yet current guidelines address these conditions separately and do not recommend a single agent for concurrent management. Ketamine and its S-enantiomer esketamine, through N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonism and glutamate modulation, may offer dual benefit. This paper examined ten clinical studies published between 2018 and 2024...