T-cell homeostasis in breast cancer survivors with persistent fatigue.
Title | T-cell homeostasis in breast cancer survivors with persistent fatigue. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2003 |
Authors | Bower JE, Ganz PA, Aziz N, Fahey JL, Cole SW |
Journal | J Natl Cancer Inst |
Volume | 95 |
Issue | 15 |
Pagination | 1165-8 |
Date Published | 2003 Aug 6 |
ISSN | 1460-2105 |
Keywords | Adult, Aged, Analysis of Variance, Antigens, CD, Antigens, CD3, Breast Neoplasms, Case-Control Studies, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Chronic Disease, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Fatigue, Female, Humans, Inflammation, Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein, Middle Aged, Neopterin, Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II, Sialoglycoproteins, T-Lymphocytes |
Abstract | Approximately 30% of women successfully treated for breast cancer suffer persistent fatigue of unknown origin. Recent studies linking inflammatory processes to central nervous system-mediated fatigue led us to examine cellular immune system status in 20 fatigued breast cancer survivors and 19 matched non-fatigued breast cancer survivors. Fatigued survivors, compared with non-fatigued survivors, had statistically significantly increased numbers of circulating T lymphocytes (mean 31% increase, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 6% to 56%; P =.015 by two-sided analysis of variance [ANOVA]), with pronounced elevation in the numbers of CD4+ T lymphocytes (mean 41% increase, 95% CI = 15% to 68%; P =.003 by two-sided ANOVA) and CD56+ effector T lymphocytes (mean 52% increase, 95% CI = 4% to 99%; P =.027 by two-sided ANOVA). These changes were independent of patient demographic and treatment characteristics. Absolute numbers of B cells, natural killer cells, granulocytes, and monocytes were not altered. The increased numbers of circulating T cells correlated with elevations in the level of serum interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (for CD3+ cells, r =.56 and P =.001; for CD3+/CD4+ cells, r =.68 and P<.001, by Spearman rank correlation). Results of this study suggest that persistent fatigue in breast cancer survivors might be associated with a chronic inflammatory process involving the T-cell compartment. These results require confirmation in a larger study that is specifically designed to address this hypothesis. |
Alternate Journal | J. Natl. Cancer Inst. |
PubMed ID | 12902446 |
Grant List | AI49135 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States AI52737 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States MH019925 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States R01CA63028 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States |