Cortisol and inflammatory processes in ovarian cancer patients following primary treatment: Relationships with depression, fatigue, and disability

Andrew Schrepf; Lauren Clevenger; Desire Christensen; Koen DeGeest; David Bender; Amina Ahmed; Michael J Goodheart; Laila Dahmoush; Frank Penedo; Joseph A Lucci; Parvin Ganjei-Azar; Luis Mendez; Kristian Markon; David M Lubaroff; Premal H Thaker; George M Slavich; Anil K Sood; Susan K Lutgendorf

doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2012.07.022

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Cortisol and inflammatory processes in ovarian cancer patients following primary treatment: Relationships with depression, fatigue, and disability

Journal article

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Cortisol and inflammatory processes in ovarian cancer patients following primary treatment: Relationships with depression, fatigue, and disability

Andrew Schrepf, Lauren Clevenger, Desire Christensen, Koen DeGeest, David Bender, Amina Ahmed, Michael J Goodheart, Laila Dahmoush, Frank Penedo, Joseph A Lucci, …

Brain Behavior and Immunity, Vol.30(SUPPL), pp.S126-S134

03/15/2013

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2012.07.022

PMCID: PMC3697797

PMID: 22884960

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/3697797View

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Abstract

► Patients undergoing primary treatment for ovarian cancer experience reductions in inflammation and improvements in fatigue, vegetative depression and disability. 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 6months, and at 1year. Patients included in this study had completed chemotherapy and had no evidence of disease recurrence. At 6months, patients showed significant reductions in nocturnal cortisol secretion, plasma IL-6, and a more normalized diurnal cortisol rhythm, changes that were maintained at 1year. 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 1year 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.

Inflammation

Ovarian Cancer

Disability

Fatigue

Depression

Cortisol

IL-6

Details

Title: Subtitle: Cortisol and inflammatory processes in ovarian cancer patients following primary treatment: Relationships with depression, fatigue, and disability
Creators: Andrew Schrepf - Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, USA
Lauren Clevenger - Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, USA
Desire Christensen - Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, USA
Koen DeGeest - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, USA
David Bender - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, USA
Amina Ahmed - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, USA
Michael J Goodheart - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, USA
Laila Dahmoush - Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, USA
Frank Penedo - Department of Psychology and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, USA
Joseph A Lucci - Division of Gynecologic Oncology and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, USA
Parvin Ganjei-Azar - Department of Pathology and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, USA
Luis Mendez - Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Florida International University School of Medicine, USA
Kristian Markon - Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, USA
David M Lubaroff - Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, USA
Premal H Thaker - Washington University School of Medicine, USA
George M Slavich - Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
Anil K Sood - Departments of Gynecologic Oncology and Cancer Biology, UT MD Anderson Comprehensive Cancer Center, USA
Susan K Lutgendorf - Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Brain Behavior and Immunity, Vol.30(SUPPL), pp.S126-S134
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2012.07.022
PMID: 22884960
PMCID: PMC3697797
NLM abbreviation: Brain Behav Immun
ISSN: 0889-1591
eISSN: 1090-2139
Publisher: Elsevier Inc
Language: English
Date published: 03/15/2013
Academic Unit: Psychiatry; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Pathology; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Urology
Record Identifier: 9983930386902771

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