This qualitative case study examines Buddhist spiritual care for terminal cancer patients through the case of Wat Kham Pramong in Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand. It addresses three objectives: to examine how the temple responds to patients’ spiritual needs, to identify the Buddhist teachings and practices relevant to those needs, and to assess the approach’s qualitative impact in terminal...
Near-death experiences in palliative care predominantly appear distinct from typical hallucinations due to their comforting, meaningful, and spiritual nature. Proper recognition and interpretation by healthcare professionals can enhance end-of-life care quality.
No direct evidence for sensory perceptions during near-death experiences in palliative care specifically excluding pathological causes was identified. However, end-of-life dreams and visions are common and usually comforting in hospice settings, emphasizing the need for sensitive interpretation by healthcare professionals.
Palliative & Supportive CareSeptember 11, 2026Donia Elsaid Fathi Zaghamir, Ateya Megahed Ibrahim, Hala Samir Ahmed El-Husseiny
Objectives: Nursing interns often experience high levels of death anxiety and stress, which can reduce their comfort and confidence in caring for dying patients. This study evaluated the effects of an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program on death anxiety, perceived stress, and attitudes toward care of the dying among nursing interns during palliative and oncology rotations....
Background: Given the growing population of patients living with metastatic cancer, palliative care providers need every available tool for symptom management. We conducted a rapid review of the literature on palliative uses of ketamine for pain and depression in people with cancer. Methods: We systematically searched for studies published since 2015 that examined palliative uses of ketamine in...
Objective: To evaluate changes in psychological distress, anxiety and depressive symptoms, sleep problems, and pain intensity associated with participation in an embedded micro-mindfulness program among patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative care, and to explore factors associated with psychological symptom response. Methods: This single-center, prospective, non-randomized...
Research SquareAugust 18, 2026Shenghuan Yang, Yan Lou, Tingting Chen et al.
preprint
Abstract Background: Patients with advanced cancer frequently experience multidimensional suffering,including psychological distress,existential distress,and concerns related to death and dying.Mindfulness-based interventions and existential healing interventions have increasingly been applied in palliative care;however,the current evidence regarding their integration,intervention...
Current evidence highlights the importance of caregiver involvement in oncology and palliative care, emphasizing communication and decision-making. No direct evidence exists for psychedelic-assisted therapy in oncology, highlighting a need for research exploring caregiver roles in this context.
This presentation will review the history of scientific research into the use of psychedelic medicines for the treatment of existential distress due to life-threatening illnesses, it will then outline the current state of affairs in North America, and conclude with exploring the implications it will have on the future of palliative care. Despite the significant advances in the field of...
Advanced cancer patients in palliative care frequently face severe existential anxiety and diminished quality of life (QoL). While managing this psychological distress is critical, pharmacological interventions often present adverse side effects. This quasi-experimental study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured Mindfulness-Based Nursing Intervention (MBNI) on anxiety levels and...
Depression and existential distress are highly prevalent among patients with advanced cancer, and there is growing evidence for ketamine as a rapidly acting antidepressant in the population, but few studies have examined existential distress outcomes with ketamine treatment. The INKeD-PC trial demonstrated efficacy of intranasal racemic ketamine for depression in patients with cancer receiving...
Effect of a 5-Minute Mindfulness-of-Gratitude Practice on Suffering and Spiritual Well-Being in Palliative Care Inpatients: A Randomized Controlled Study.
Objective: The objective of this narrative review is to understand what forms of spirituality screening and spiritual support are available to individuals with serious or life-threating illness involved in psychedelic-assisted therapies. Introduction: In addition to physical pain related to disease and treatment processes, people encountering serious illness frequently experience psychological...
Medycyna PaliatywnaJuly 15, 2026Maciej Sulerzycki, Katarzyna Pomykała, Katarzyna Giemza et al.
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the therapeutic use of psychedelics. In palliative medicine, they are being considered as an alternative approach to treating depression, existential distress, and chronic pain conditions. This review presents current literature on the use of psychedelic substances such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide,...
Demoralization, a syndrome of helplessness, hopelessness, and loss of meaning and chronic pain are common sources of distress in early palliative care. Psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) is an emerging intervention with preliminary data suggesting improvements in pain and demoralization. To date, PAT has not been studied among people living with both demoralization and chronic pain nor has it...
Canada's evolving attitudes toward psychedelic interventions in palliative and end-of-life care reflect a departure from historically prohibitionist policies and an emerging recognition of their therapeutic potential for individuals facing end-of-life distress. This shift parallels international regulatory developments in jurisdictions such as the United States, Australia and parts of Europe,...
BMC MedicineJuly 6, 2026Hannah Adler, Rebecca Filipic, Dr Maria Gonzalez et al.
BACKGROUND: Existential distress is commonly experienced by people with cancer, yet there are limited treatment options. The therapeutic potential for psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) utilising psilocybin for this cohort is underexplored, with emerging literature showing clinical improvements in wellbeing. In Australia there is limited knowledge on healthcare professionals' (HCPs') attitudes,...
Pain Management NursingJuly 1, 2026Aline Maria de Oliveira Rocha, Cláudio Arnaldo Len, Flávia H. Santos et al.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the effectiveness of mind-body therapies for managing symptoms and improving quality of life in children receiving palliative care using a network meta-analysis (NMA). DESIGN: A systematic review and network meta-analysis (PRISMA-NMA guidelines) registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020198399). REVIEW/ANALYSIS METHODS: Comprehensive searches were conducted across...
Psychological and existential distress are common across the cancer trajectory and can impair quality of life, treatment adherence, and family functioning. Although psychosocial and pharmacological interventions provide meaningful support, their overall effects are often modest. This review examines the emerging role of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) as a potential approach to better...