Journal ArticleDOI
Circadian disruption in cancer: a neuroendocrine-immune pathway from stress to disease?
Sandra E. Sephton,David Spiegel +1 more
TLDR
New data in the human and animal literature suggest that circadian regulation may be an important prerequisite for the maintenance of host defenses against cancer, and stress-related circadian disruption may have negative implications for cancer prognosis.Abstract:
Psychosocial factors may modulate the course of cancer, but few data have been gathered on the biological mechanisms by which these effects may be mediated. We briefly review evidence of psychosocial effects on cancer progression and discuss one potential pathway that may underlie these effects: the disruption of neuroendocrine and immune circadian rhythms. Circadian system alterations occur in tumor tissue, tumor-bearing animals, and cancer patients with greater disruption seen in more advanced cases. Rhythm alterations include diminished amplitude, phase shifts, period changes, and erratic peaks and troughs in endocrine, metabolic, immunological, and rest- activity cycles. Psychosocial factors can engender dysregulation of circadian function. Cancer-related circadian dysregulation may also be driven by genetic factors, environmental and behavioral influences, and effects of the tumor on host clock regulation. There are several mechanisms by which circadian disruption might hasten tumor growth: via direct effects of altered hormone levels on tumor cells, effects on tumor versus host metabolism, neuroimmune effects resulting in cancer-relevant immunosuppression, or reduced efficacy and tolerability of cancer treatments for which the timing of administration is based upon the assumption of normal circadian rhythms. Emerging data in the human and animal literature suggest that circadian regulation may be an important prerequisite for the maintenance of host defenses against cancer. Thus, stress-related circadian disruption may have negative implications for cancer prognosis. Psychosocial effects on cancer progression may be measured, and possibly mediated, by disruption of circadian function.read more
Citations
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If it goes up, must it come down? Chronic stress and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis in humans.
TL;DR: A meta-analysis showed that much of the variability in HPA activity is attributable to stressor and person features, as hormonal activity is elevated at stressor onset but reduces as time passes.
Journal ArticleDOI
The influence of bio-behavioural factors on tumour biology: pathways and mechanisms
Michael H. Antoni,Susan K. Lutgendorf,Steven W. Cole,Firdaus S. Dhabhar,Sandra E. Sephton,Paige Green McDonald,Michael Stefanek,Anil K. Sood +7 more
TL;DR: This review integrates clinical, cellular and molecular studies to provide a mechanistic understanding of the interface between biological and behavioural influences in cancer, and identifies novel behavioural or pharmacological interventions that might help improve cancer outcomes.
Journal ArticleDOI
Positive health: connecting well-being with biology.
TL;DR: Preliminary findings on a sample of ageing women showed that those with higher levels of eudaimonic well-being had lower levels of daily salivary cortisol, pro-inflammatory cytokines, cardiovascular risk, and longer duration REM sleep compared with those showing lower levels that showed minimal linkage to biomarker assessments.
Journal ArticleDOI
Do stress-related psychosocial factors contribute to cancer incidence and survival?
TL;DR: Analysis of longitudinal associations between stress and cancer using meta-analytic methods suggests that stress-related psychosocial factors have an adverse effect on cancer incidence and survival, although there is evidence of publication bias and results should be interpreted with caution.
Journal ArticleDOI
Effects of stress on immune function: the good, the bad, and the beautiful.
TL;DR: It is proposed that short-term stress is one of the nature’s fundamental but under-appreciated survival mechanisms that could be clinically harnessed to enhance immunoprotection and “good” versus “bad” effects of stress on health.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
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Eva S. Schernhammer,Francine Laden,Frank E. Speizer,Walter C. Willett,David J. Hunter,Ichiro Kawachi,Graham A. Colditz +6 more
TL;DR: Women who work on rotating night shifts with at least three nights per month, in addition to days and evenings in that month, appear to have a moderately increased risk of breast cancer after extended periods of working rotating night shift.