TY - JOUR
T1 - Cortisol and inflammatory processes in ovarian cancer patients following primary treatment
T2 - Relationships with depression, fatigue, and disability
AU - Schrepf, Andrew
AU - Clevenger, Lauren
AU - Christensen, Desire
AU - DeGeest, Koen
AU - Bender, David
AU - Ahmed, Amina
AU - Goodheart, Michael J.
AU - Dahmoush, Laila
AU - Penedo, Frank
AU - Lucci, Joseph A.
AU - Ganjei-Azar, Parvin
AU - Mendez, Luis
AU - Markon, Kristian
AU - Lubaroff, David M.
AU - Thaker, Premal H.
AU - Slavich, George M.
AU - Sood, Anil K.
AU - Lutgendorf, Susan K.
PY - 2013/3/15
Y1 - 2013/3/15
N2 - Elevations in the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) and alterations in the anti-inflammatory hormone cortisol have been reported in a variety of cancers. IL-6 has prognostic significance in ovarian cancer and cortisol has been associated with fatigue, disability, and vegetative depression in ovarian cancer patients prior to surgery. Ovarian cancer patients undergoing primary treatment completed psychological self-report measures and collected salivary cortisol and plasma IL-6 prior to surgery, at 6. months, and at 1. year. Patients included in this study had completed chemotherapy and had no evidence of disease recurrence. At 6. months, patients showed significant reductions in nocturnal cortisol secretion, plasma IL-6, and a more normalized diurnal cortisol rhythm, changes that were maintained at 1. year. The reductions in IL-6 and nocturnal cortisol were associated with declines in self-reported fatigue, vegetative depression, and disability. These findings suggest that primary treatment for ovarian cancer reduces the inflammatory response. Moreover, patients who have not developed recurrent disease by 1. year appear to maintain more normalized levels of cortisol and IL-6. Improvement in fatigue and vegetative depression is associated with the normalization of IL-6 and cortisol, a pattern which may be relevant for improvements in overall quality of life for ovarian cancer patients.
AB - Elevations in the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) and alterations in the anti-inflammatory hormone cortisol have been reported in a variety of cancers. IL-6 has prognostic significance in ovarian cancer and cortisol has been associated with fatigue, disability, and vegetative depression in ovarian cancer patients prior to surgery. Ovarian cancer patients undergoing primary treatment completed psychological self-report measures and collected salivary cortisol and plasma IL-6 prior to surgery, at 6. months, and at 1. year. Patients included in this study had completed chemotherapy and had no evidence of disease recurrence. At 6. months, patients showed significant reductions in nocturnal cortisol secretion, plasma IL-6, and a more normalized diurnal cortisol rhythm, changes that were maintained at 1. year. The reductions in IL-6 and nocturnal cortisol were associated with declines in self-reported fatigue, vegetative depression, and disability. These findings suggest that primary treatment for ovarian cancer reduces the inflammatory response. Moreover, patients who have not developed recurrent disease by 1. year appear to maintain more normalized levels of cortisol and IL-6. Improvement in fatigue and vegetative depression is associated with the normalization of IL-6 and cortisol, a pattern which may be relevant for improvements in overall quality of life for ovarian cancer patients.
KW - Cortisol
KW - Depression
KW - Disability
KW - Fatigue
KW - IL-6
KW - Inflammation
KW - Ovarian cancer
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84875367955&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.bbi.2012.07.022
DO - 10.1016/j.bbi.2012.07.022
M3 - Article
C2 - 22884960
AN - SCOPUS:84875367955
SN - 0889-1591
VL - 30
SP - S126-S134
JO - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
JF - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
IS - SUPPL.
ER -