Psychopharmacology in Cancer Care: An Update for Clinicians of All Disciplines

William Breitbart, Psychiatrist and Psycho-Oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Saturday, April 5, 2025 8:30 am—5:30 pm Virtual (Zoom)

We’re excited to announce that registration is now open for the highly anticipated Psychopharmacology in Cancer Care course.

Despite the variety of tools available to support cancer patients facing depression, anxiety, and other sequelae, psychiatric syndromes often remain underdiagnosed and undertreated. This program offers a comprehensive annual update on effective psychopharmacological approaches for managing anxiety, depression, delirium, sleep disturbances, pain, fatigue, and changes in appetite or weight.

Faculty also share insights on innovative interventions such as ketamine, medical marijuana, and psilocybin, while emphasizing the essential role of clinical social work in delivering psychosocial support. Participants will learn to distinguish psychological reactions, psychiatric manifestations, and medical presentations of various conditions and treatments, while gaining foundational knowledge of medications designed to enhance Quality-of-Life symptoms.

The course also explores medication selection, benefits, side effects, drug interactions, and how to deliver impactful psychoeducation on psychiatric medications to patients.

View program

Register now

Course Director

Yesne Alici, MD: Vice Chair for Clinical Operations; Clinical Director; Associate Attending Psychiatrist, Psychiatry Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Course Co-Director

William S. Breitbart, MD: Attending Psychiatrist; Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Attending Psychiatrist, Supportive Care Service, Department of Medicine Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Course Faculty

Erik Bengtsen: Director of Clinical Operations, Manhattan Ambulatory Sites; Assistant Attending Psychiatrist, Psychiatry Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Christian Bjerre Real: Founder and Psychiatrist, Alta Psychiatry PLLC; Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Natalie Moryl (Khojainova): Attending Physician, Supportive Care Service, Addiction Medicine, Department of Medicine Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Andrew Roth: Emeritus Attending Psychiatrist, Psychiatry Service Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Christine Wilkins: Director, Social Work Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Co-sponsored by the MSK Psycho-Oncology Education and Training Institute (POETI), this course is designed to support non-prescribing psycho-oncology clinicians and psychiatrists new to Psycho-pharmaco-oncology. Oncologists, palliative care providers, advanced practice nurses, and oncology nurses will also find it invaluable. The following continuing education credits will be available:

• AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
• ABIM MOC Points
• NYS Psychology Contact Hours

Applications for ANCC CNE and NYS Social Work Contact Hours have been submitted.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION.”

Dr. William S. Breitbart is a triple board-certified psychiatrist and psycho-oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), specializing in the psychiatric aspects of cancer, including pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, existential distress, symptom control, and supportive care. He supports patients with pancreatic, liver, bile duct, and other gastrointestinal cancers as the psychiatric liaison to the hepatopancreatobiliary disease management team and the Supportive Care Service. He also serves on the Brain Tumor Center faculty.