title: Fatigue and herpesvirus latency in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.
abstract: Fatigue is a notable clinical problem in cancer survivors, and understanding its pathophysiology is important. The current study sought to determine biomarkers of fatigue that exist before cancer treatment. Relationships between the expression of latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) and fatigue were examined in 158 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer or awaiting a positive diagnostic result. Higher CMV antibody titers, but not EBV antibody titers, were associated with a greater likelihood of being fatigued. Associations between fatigue and higher CMV antibody titers remained after controlling for alcohol use, smoking, comorbidities, depressive symptoms, age, BMI, cancer stage, and sleep problems. More sleep problems and higher levels of depressive symptoms were also associated with a greater likelihood of being fatigued. CMV antibody titers, but not EBV antibody titers, were associated with higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), but CRP was not associated with fatigue. When the cellular immune system is compromised, reactivation of latent herpesviruses may fuel chronic inflammatory responses. Prior work has suggested that fatigue may be related to inflammation and its associated sickness behaviors; accordingly, our findings may be tapping into this same physiological substrate.
authors: Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. christopher.fagundes@osumc.edu
authors: Christopher P
authors: CP
authors: Fagundes
authors: Ronald
authors: R
authors: Glaser
authors: Catherine M
authors: CM
authors: Alfano
authors: Jeanette M
authors: JM
authors: Bennett
authors: Stephen P
authors: SP
authors: Povoski
authors: Adele M
authors: AM
authors: Lipari
authors: Doreen M
authors: DM
authors: Agnese
authors: Lisa D
authors: LD
authors: Yee
authors: William E
authors: WE
authors: Carson
authors: William B
authors: WB
authors: Farrar
authors: William B
authors: WB
authors: Malarkey
authors: Janice K
authors: JK
authors: Kiecolt-Glaser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D003863:Depression; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D002097:C-Reactive Protein