Social isolation is associated with elevated tumor norepinephrine in ovarian carcinoma patients.
Noradrenergic pathways have been implicated in growth and progression of ovarian cancer. Intratumoral norepinephrine (NE) has been shown to increase with stress in an animal cancer model, but little is known regarding how tumor NE varies with disease stage and with biobehavioral factors in ovarian cancer patients. This study examined relationships between pre-surgical measures of social support, depressed mood, perceived stress, anxiety, tumor histology and tumor catecholamine (NE and epinephrine [E]) levels among 68 ovarian cancer patients. We also examined whether associations observed between biobehavioral measures and tumor catecholamines extended to other compartments. Higher NE levels were found in advanced stage (p=0.006) and higher grade (p=0.001) tumors. Adjusting for stage, grade, and peri-surgical beta blockers, patients with a perceived lack of social support had significantly higher tumor NE (β=-0.29, p=0.012). A similar trend was seen for social support and ascites NE (adjusting for stage, peri-surgical beta blockers and caffeine: β=-0.50, p=0.075), but not for plasma NE. Other biobehavioral factors were not related to tumor, ascites, or plasma NE (p values >0.21). Tumor E was undetectable in the majority of tumors and thus E was not further analyzed. In summary, these results suggest that tumor NE provides distinct information from circulating plasma concentrations. Tumor NE levels were elevated in relationship to tumor grade and stage. Low subjective social support was associated with elevated intratumoral NE. As beta-adrenergic signaling is related to key biological pathways involved in tumor growth, these findings may have implications for patient outcomes in ovarian cancer.
Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. susan-lutgendorf@uiowa.edu
Susan K
SK
Lutgendorf
Koen
K
DeGeest
Laila
L
Dahmoush
Donna
D
Farley
Frank
F
Penedo
David
D
Bender
Michael
M
Goodheart
Thomas E
TE
Buekers
Luis
L
Mendez
Gina
G
Krueger
Lauren
L
Clevenger
David M
DM
Lubaroff
Anil K
AK
Sood
Steve W
SW
Cole
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
D002395:Catecholamines; D009638:Norepinephrine