title: Does informed adjuvant placebo chemotherapy for breast-cancer elicit immune changes.
abstract: To study psychological effects on the immune system, a saline infusion was administered to 24 fully informed patients who previously had received adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Blood samples were drawn before and after treatment, and compared to samples obtained at home two days earlier. Patients displayed a rise in natural killer-cell activity and a tendency to lowered percentage of suppressor/cytotoxic cells when assessed before treatment as compared to at home. Trait anxiety was associated with numbers of leukocytes. It is concluded that immune status partly reflects psychological factors.
authors: KAROLINSKA INST,DEPT CLIN NEUROSCI,STOCKHOLM,SWEDEN. KAROLINSKA HOSP,RADIUM HEMMET,DEPT GEN ONCOL,STOCKHOLM,SWEDEN. DANDERYD HOSP,DEPT GEN ONCOL,DANDERYD,SWEDEN. UPPSALA UNIV,DEPT CLIN PSYCHOL,UPPSALA,SWEDEN.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Lekander
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Furst
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Rotstein
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Blomgren
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Fredrikson