Diurnal cortisol dysregulation, functional disability, and depression in women with ovarian cancer

Aliza Z. Weinrib; Sandra E. Sephton; Koen De Geest; Frank Penedo; David P. Bender; Bridget Zimmerman; Clemens Kirschbaum; Anil K. Sood; David M. Lubaroff; Susan K. Lutgendorf

doi:10.1002/cncr.25299

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Diurnal cortisol dysregulation, functional disability, and depression in women with ovarian cancer

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Diurnal cortisol dysregulation, functional disability, and depression in women with ovarian cancer

Aliza Z. Weinrib, Sandra E. Sephton, Koen De Geest, Frank Penedo, David P. Bender, Bridget Zimmerman, Clemens Kirschbaum, Anil K. Sood, David M. Lubaroff and Susan K. Lutgendorf

Cancer, Vol.116(18), pp.4410-4419

09/15/2010

DOI: 10.1002/cncr.25299

PMCID: PMC3118555

PMID: 20564155

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Multiple alterations in circadian rhythms have been observed in cancer patients, including the diurnal rhythm of the adrenal hormone cortisol. Diurnal cortisol alterations have been associated with cancer-related physiological processes as well as psychological stress. Here we investigate alterations in diurnal cortisol rhythm in ovarian cancer patients, and potential links with depression, life stress, and functional disability. METHODS: Women (n = 177) with suspected ovarian cancer completed questionnaires and collected salivary cortisol 3× daily for 3 consecutive days before surgery. One hundred women were subsequently diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 77 with benign disease. In addition, healthy women (n = 33) not scheduled for surgery collected salivary cortisol at the same time points. RESULTS: Ovarian cancer patients demonstrated significantly elevated nocturnal cortisol (P = .022) and diminished cortisol variability (P = .023) compared with women with benign disease and with healthy women (all P values CONCLUSIONS: Nocturnal cortisol and cortisol variability show significant dysregulation in ovarian cancer patients, and this dysregulation was associated with greater functional disability, fatigue, and vegetative depression. These findings suggest potential hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal involvement in functional disability in ovarian cancer, and may have implications for disease progression.

Quality of Life

Stress

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Activities of Daily Living

Aged

Circadian Rhythm

Depression

Fatigue

Female

Health Status

Humans

Hydrocortisone

Middle Aged

Ovarian Neoplasms

Saliva

Psychological

Details

Title: Subtitle: Diurnal cortisol dysregulation, functional disability, and depression in women with ovarian cancer
Creators: Aliza Z. Weinrib - University of Iowa
Sandra E. Sephton - University of Louisville
Koen De Geest - University of Iowa
Frank Penedo - University of Miami
David P. Bender - University of Iowa
Bridget Zimmerman - University of Iowa
Clemens Kirschbaum - Technical University of Dresden
Anil K. Sood - The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
David M. Lubaroff - University of Iowa
Susan K. Lutgendorf - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Cancer, Vol.116(18), pp.4410-4419
DOI: 10.1002/cncr.25299
PMID: 20564155
PMCID: PMC3118555
NLM abbreviation: Cancer
ISSN: 0008-543X
eISSN: 1097-0142
Publisher: Wiley
Comment: CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURES Funding for this study was provided by National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants R01CA104825, R21CA88293, and R01CA140933 to Susan Lutgendorf; the NIH had no further role in study design; in collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.
Language: English
Date published: 09/15/2010
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Biostatistics; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Urology
Record Identifier: 9983557793902771

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