thesis
Mind-body interactions in breast cancer : neuroendocrine and immune aspects of acute psychological stress and psychosocial intervention in breast cancer patients
- Publication date
- 12 March 1997
- Publisher
- The proposition that stress plays a role in the progression of breast cancer has been a
source of inspiration for researchers to study the associations between psychological,
neuroendocrine and immune parameters. Until now a number of shldies attempted to
provide insight in the link between stress and breast cancer by correlating psychological
strcssors with baseline endocrine and immune values. There is a growing literature
supporting the notion that by using a reactivity model more reliable information can be
obtained about the organizational level of the neuroendocrine system as well as the
sensitivity of the immune system to the endocrine signals than by determining baseline
values. However, apart from shldies that examined the alterations in neuroendocrine
system and distribution and function of peripheral blood cells in breast cancer patients
in rest, data from reactivity studies are scarce.
The series of studies described in the first part of the present thesis were designed to
investigate changes in cardiovascular, endocrine and immunological values in response
to an acute stressor in breast cancer patients and to compare their responses with those
of age-matched healthy women.