Perception matters: Stressful life events increase breast cancer risk

Neural Circuitries between the Brain and Peripheral Solid Tumors

The recent discovery of the pivotal role of the central nervous system in controlling tumor initiation and progression has opened a new field of research. Increasing evidence suggests a bidirectional interaction between the brain and tumors. The brain influences the biological behavior of tumor cells through complex neural networks involving the peripheral nervous system, the endocrine system, and the immune system, whereas tumors can establish local autonomic and sensory neural networks to transmit signals into the central nervous system, thereby affecting brain activity. This review aims to summarize the latest research in brain-tumor cross-talk, exploring neural circuitries between the brain and various peripheral solid tumors, analyzing the roles in tumor development and the related molecular mediators and pathologic mechanisms, and highlighting the critical impact on the understanding of cancer biology. Enhanced understanding of reciprocal communication between the brain and tumors will establish a solid theoretical basis for further research and could open avenues for repurposing psychiatric interventions in cancer treatment.

Glucocorticoid receptor: a harmonizer of cellular plasticity in breast cancer-directs the road towards therapy resistance, metastatic progression and recurrence

Recent therapeutic advances have significantly uplifted the quality of life in breast cancer patients, yet several impediments block the road to disease-free survival. This involves unresponsiveness towards administered therapy, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, and metastatic progression with the eventual appearance of recurrent disease. Attainment of such characteristics is a huge adaptive challenge to which tumour cells respond by acquiring diverse phenotypically plastic states. Several signalling networks and mediators are involved in such a process. Glucocorticoid receptor being a mediator of stress response imparts prognostic significance in the context of breast carcinoma. Involvement of the glucocorticoid receptor in the signalling cascade of breast cancer phenotypic plasticity needs further elucidation. This review attempted to shed light on the inter-regulatory interactions of the glucocorticoid receptor with the mediators of the plasticity program in breast cancer; which may provide a hint for strategizing therapeutics against the glucocorticoid/glucocorticoid receptor axis so as to modulate phenotypic plasticity in breast carcinoma.

The Role of Psychologic Stress in Cancer Initiation: Clinical Relevance and Potential Molecular Mechanisms

The hypothesis that the physiologic response to psychologic stress influences the initiation of cancer is highly controversial. The link between initiating stressors, the psychologic stress response, and disease is plausible, considering that the stress response is associated with defined physiologic outcomes and molecular mechanisms. In light of this, we review the clinical relevance of psychologic stress on the risk of cancer, and we propose potential molecular pathways that may link the stress response to early stages of malignant cell transformation.

Art psychotherapy and public health

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to explore the role of art psychotherapy as a biopsychosocial approach to bodymind medicine in ameliorating the effects of psychophysical stress among people with non-metastatic cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM), post-surgical resection.

STUDY DESIGN

Mixed methods.

METHODS

This study followed a mixed-methods research design, utilising qualitative data gained from a 6-month weekly group art therapy intervention, including both the images made and explored during the 3-h sessions and the accompanying narratives. The narratives were the subject of thematic analysis. The quantitative data arose from ELISA assays for secretory immunoglobulin A (S-IgA) and secretory interferon-γ (S-IFN- γ), DTH (PPD) tests were delivered at timepoints t0, t1, t5, t13, t24 and t52, and questionnaires were delivered at t0, t24 and t52: MAC, HAD, COPE & EORTC-QLQ-C-30.

RESULTS

The findings of this study included themes of 'otherness' and 'isolation', which also preceded diagnosis, and an upward trend in S-IgA, which continued over time.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found that art psychotherapy promotes enhanced immunological function, coping skills and interpersonal relations. Positive psychoneuroimmunological change can result from group art psychotherapy, facilitating integration of psychological content in a supportive and interactive environment, which improves quality of life, thereby reducing the public health burden.

The Role of Stress in Breast Cancer Incidence: Risk Factors, Interventions, and Directions for the Future

Stress is a common belief among breast cancer patients and the public to explain variation in breast cancer incidence. Epidemiological studies interrogating the relationship between stress and cancer have reported mixed results. The impact of the topic and the lack of consensus has sparked this review of the literature to investigate gaps in knowledge and identify areas of research. We first present a brief summary of the biopsychosocial model generally used to conduct research on stress. We then divide the overview of the literature into areas of research focus. These include the role of distressing life events in breast cancer incidence, the role of adverse childhood events in later breast cancer incidence, the importance of race and socioeconomic status (SES) as social determinants of breast cancer incidence, and the specific role of chronic stress in relation to breast cancer. For each topic, we discuss the potential of stress as a risk factor and possible intervention strategies that could reduce the effects of stress. We then identify further research questions to be probed to fill the gaps in knowledge. We conclude with a discussion of future research directions for stress research as it relates to breast cancer incidence.

Parents of Children with Developmental Difficulties and Parents of Typically Developed Children: What Happens in a Year?

Parents of children with developmental difficulties (DD) face many challenges on an everyday basis and, compared to a parent of a typically developed child (TD), are at risk to experience lower well-being. Earlier, as a part of the CRO-WELL project, we explored differences in the well-being of parents of children with DD and a matching group of parents of TD children. Results showed that both groups of parents were equally happy and satisfied with their lives in general, with only a difference in satisfaction with free time. The aim of the current study was to explore what happened in one-year's time. Out of the initial sample of 41 parents by group, the second wave was completed by 19 parents of DD children and 27 parents of TD children. Results showed that parents of children with DD were less satisfied with life in general, as well as less happy and less satisfied with health, family, friends, and safety compared to parents of TD children. They also experienced three times more negative events than parents of TD children. Having a child with developmental difficulties reflects on many life domains and these results could serve as a guidepost in the design of support for families of children with developmental difficulties. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Risk factors assessment of breast cancer among Iraqi Kurdish women: Case-control study

BACKGROUND

To our knowledge, there is no international publication on risk factors of breast cancer among Kurdish women. There are several risk factors of breast cancer may differ in different geographical cultures. The aims of this study are to assess the established and probable risk factors of breast cancer among Iraqi Kurdish women as well as to investigate the effect of some Mediterranean food items on this issue.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective case-control study was constructed in Sulaimanyah governorate-Iraq. Data were collected regarding socio-demographic characters, established risk factors, and dietary habits of 338 cases that were registered in Sulaimanyah Breast Center during January 2015-February 2019 with collection of same items for 338 age-matched controls.

RESULTS

The marriage was appeared to be a protective factor with (OR = 0.596, CI: 0.364-0.974, P = 0.039). Age at menarche ≥14 years has a protective effect with (OR: 0.326, P = 0.027) and 152 cases (45.0%) had menarche at ≤12 years compared to 56 controls (16.6%) with (P = 0.000). Numbers of children ≥ 3, regular exercise, and breastfeeding for >48 months duration have protective role. Consumption of fast foods and some Mediterranean foods weekly >2 times are risk factors, while taking stewed meat weekly one time, fish weekly ≥1 time, fruit daily>1 time and vegetables daily≥1 time, and black tea daily >3 cups have preventative effect on breast cancer.

CONCLUSION

Among Kurdish women, some items of Mediterranean food have the same causative effect as fast food items. Marriages, consumption of stewed meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, and black tea may have preventative effect.

Psychological Stress and Cellular Aging in Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Epidemiological evidence continues to accumulate on the effect of psychosocial and behavioral factors in relation to cancer risk, progression, and mortality.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This article presents the current evidence on the relationship between psychological stress and the risk of cancer and cellular aging process. Ten databases were searched to identify publications up to September 2019. References from retrieved articles were also reviewed. We included nine review papers and 26 cohort or case-control studies based on inclusion/exclusion criteria.

RESULTS

Results of previously published review articles did not show consistent evidence for the association between cancer risk and psychological stress, while previous evidence is stronger regarding the role of chronic psychological stress on cancer growth and metastasis and aging. In seven observational studies, severe life events, anxiety, depression, insufficient social support perception, or avoiding coping strategy were significantly associated with breast cancer risk. For other specific types of cancer, 11 studies reported increased risk factors for stressful life events, and two others found increased mortality or a decline in treatment adherence.

CONCLUSIONS

Recent epidemiological evidence generally suggests psychosocial factors may be considered risk factors for specific types of cancer and play a key role in the cellular aging process. Understanding molecular mechanisms of the stress interaction is important in cancer management and prevention. The psychological stressors should be considered when developing or evaluating change in psychosocial practice.

The Mind-Body Study: study design and reproducibility and interrelationships of psychosocial factors in the Nurses' Health Study II

PURPOSE

Associations between psychosocial factors and biomarkers are increasingly investigated in studies of cancer incidence and mortality. Documenting optimal data/biospecimen collection protocols and scale properties are fundamental for elucidating the impact of psychosocial factors on biologic systems and ultimately cancer development/progression.

METHODS

Between 2013 and 2014, 233 Nurses' Health Study II women (mean age: 60.6) participated in the Mind-Body Study. Participants completed a detailed online psychosocial assessment and provided hair, toenail, timed saliva over 1 day, urine and fasting blood twice, 1 year apart. Additionally, two separate microbiome collections for stool and saliva were conducted between the psychosocial assessments. We assessed correlations between various psychosocial measures and evaluated their 1-year reproducibility using intraclass correlations (ICC).

RESULTS

Compliance with the protocols was high among participants. Psychosocial measures showed moderate-to-high reproducibility over 1 year (ICCs = 0.51-0.81). There was clear clustering of psychosocial factors according to whether they were querying positive (e.g., optimism, mastery, mindfulness) or negative (e.g., anxiety, depression, discrimination) emotion-related or social constructs.

CONCLUSION

Results suggest feasibility for self-administered collection of various biospecimens and moderate-to-high reproducibility of psychosocial factors. The Mind-Body Study provides a unique resource for assessing inter-relationships between psychosocial factors and biological processes linked with long-term health outcomes, including carcinogenesis.