Childhood adversity increases vulnerability for behavioral symptoms and immune dysregulation in women with breast cancer Journal Article

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Authors: Witek Janusek, L; Tell, D; Albuquerque, K; Mathews, H. L.
Article Title: Childhood adversity increases vulnerability for behavioral symptoms and immune dysregulation in women with breast cancer
Abstract: Women respond differentially to the stress-associated with breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, with some women experiencing more intense and/or sustained behavioral symptoms and immune dysregulation than others. Childhood adversity has been identified to produce long-term dysregulation of stress response systems, increasing reactivity to stressors encountered during adulthood. This study determined whether childhood adversity increased vulnerability for more intense and sustained behavioral symptoms (fatigue, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms), poorer quality of life, and greater immune dysregulation in women (N=40) with breast cancer. Evaluation was after breast surgery and through early survivorship. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine intra-individual and inter-individual differences with respect to initial status and to the pattern of change (i.e. trajectory) of outcomes. At initial assessment, women exposed to childhood emotional neglect/abuse had greater perceived stress, fatigue, depressive symptoms and poorer quality of life, as well as lower natural killer cell activity (NKCA). Although these outcomes improved over time, women with greater childhood emotional neglect/abuse exhibited worse outcomes through early survivorship. No effect was observed on the pattern of change for these outcomes. In contrast, childhood physical neglect predicted sustained trajectories of greater perceived stress, worse quality of life, and elevated plasma IL-6; with no effect observed at initial assessment. Thus, childhood adversity leaves an enduring imprint, increasing vulnerability for behavioral symptoms, poor quality of life, and elevations in IL-6 in women with breast cancer. Further, childhood adversity predisposes to lower NKCA at a critical time when this immune-effector mechanism is most effective at halting nascent tumor seeding.
Journal Title: Brain, behavior, and immunity
Volume: 30 Suppl
ISSN: 1090-2139; 0889-1591
Publisher: Elsevier Inc  
Journal Place: United States
Date Published: 2013
Start Page: S149
End Page: 62
Language: eng
DOI/URL:

10.1016/j.bbi.2012.05.014

10.1016/j.bbi.2012.05.014
Notes: ID: 13186; CI: Copyright (c) 2012; GR: R01 CA125455/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States; GR: R01 CA125455/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States; GR: R01 CA134736/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States; GR: R21 CA098643/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States; JID: 8800478; NIHMS382226; OID: NLM: NIHMS382226 [Available on 03/01/14]; OID: NLM: PMC3492527 [Available on 03/01/14]; PMCR: 2014/03/01 00:00; 2011/11/25 [received]; 2012/04/24 [revised]; 2012/05/22 [accepted]; 2012/06/01 [aheadofprint]; ppublish