Abstract
Breast cancer is a common cancer among American women. The diagnosis, treatment, and the challenges of survivorship all have potential to increase women's levels of distress to levels that might influence their adaptation and possibly the course of their disease. Psychological distress can influence tumor progression via many different pathways (e.g., genetic changes, immune surveillance, pro-angiogenic processes). Psychological intervention has been shown to facilitate psychological adaptation to breast cancer. But can psychological intervention influence cancer relevant biological outcomes among breast cancer survivors? We review the literature on how psychological intervention can influence cancer relevant biological outcomes among breast cancer patients. We limited the present review to randomized controlled trials reported in the past 6 years that tested the effects of psychological intervention on biological dependent variables among patients with non-metastatic breast cancer. There are data to suggest that psychological intervention can influence neuroendocrine (e.g., cortisol) and immune function indicators, especially lymphocyte proliferation and TH1 cytokine production. Future psychological intervention studies should also focus on more newly discovered stress-tumor pathways (e.g., neuroendocrine processes promoting tumor growth and metastasis) and follow larger cohorts of the more vulnerable patients over longer periods to evaluate the biobehavioral mechanisms and lasting effects of these interventions on health and quality of life.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 159-166 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Brain, Behavior, and Immunity |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 1 2009 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Breast cancer
- Health outcomes
- Immunologic
- Neuroendocrine
- Psychosocial intervention
- Stress and psychological adaptation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
Cite this
Psychological intervention and health outcomes among women treated for breast cancer : A review of stress pathways and biological mediators. / McGregor, Bonnie A.; Antoni, Michael H.
In: Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, Vol. 23, No. 2, 01.02.2009, p. 159-166.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychological intervention and health outcomes among women treated for breast cancer
T2 - A review of stress pathways and biological mediators
AU - McGregor, Bonnie A.
AU - Antoni, Michael H
PY - 2009/2/1
Y1 - 2009/2/1
N2 - Breast cancer is a common cancer among American women. The diagnosis, treatment, and the challenges of survivorship all have potential to increase women's levels of distress to levels that might influence their adaptation and possibly the course of their disease. Psychological distress can influence tumor progression via many different pathways (e.g., genetic changes, immune surveillance, pro-angiogenic processes). Psychological intervention has been shown to facilitate psychological adaptation to breast cancer. But can psychological intervention influence cancer relevant biological outcomes among breast cancer survivors? We review the literature on how psychological intervention can influence cancer relevant biological outcomes among breast cancer patients. We limited the present review to randomized controlled trials reported in the past 6 years that tested the effects of psychological intervention on biological dependent variables among patients with non-metastatic breast cancer. There are data to suggest that psychological intervention can influence neuroendocrine (e.g., cortisol) and immune function indicators, especially lymphocyte proliferation and TH1 cytokine production. Future psychological intervention studies should also focus on more newly discovered stress-tumor pathways (e.g., neuroendocrine processes promoting tumor growth and metastasis) and follow larger cohorts of the more vulnerable patients over longer periods to evaluate the biobehavioral mechanisms and lasting effects of these interventions on health and quality of life.
AB - Breast cancer is a common cancer among American women. The diagnosis, treatment, and the challenges of survivorship all have potential to increase women's levels of distress to levels that might influence their adaptation and possibly the course of their disease. Psychological distress can influence tumor progression via many different pathways (e.g., genetic changes, immune surveillance, pro-angiogenic processes). Psychological intervention has been shown to facilitate psychological adaptation to breast cancer. But can psychological intervention influence cancer relevant biological outcomes among breast cancer survivors? We review the literature on how psychological intervention can influence cancer relevant biological outcomes among breast cancer patients. We limited the present review to randomized controlled trials reported in the past 6 years that tested the effects of psychological intervention on biological dependent variables among patients with non-metastatic breast cancer. There are data to suggest that psychological intervention can influence neuroendocrine (e.g., cortisol) and immune function indicators, especially lymphocyte proliferation and TH1 cytokine production. Future psychological intervention studies should also focus on more newly discovered stress-tumor pathways (e.g., neuroendocrine processes promoting tumor growth and metastasis) and follow larger cohorts of the more vulnerable patients over longer periods to evaluate the biobehavioral mechanisms and lasting effects of these interventions on health and quality of life.
KW - Breast cancer
KW - Health outcomes
KW - Immunologic
KW - Neuroendocrine
KW - Psychosocial intervention
KW - Stress and psychological adaptation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=58549094486&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=58549094486&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.bbi.2008.08.002
DO - 10.1016/j.bbi.2008.08.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 18778768
AN - SCOPUS:58549094486
VL - 23
SP - 159
EP - 166
JO - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
JF - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
SN - 0889-1591
IS - 2
ER -