title: The relationship between heart rate variability and time-course of carcinoembryonic antigen in colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Identifying new prognostic factors is important for guiding treatments and preventing metastasis in cancer. Vagal nerve activity may predict prognosis in cancer due to its roles in modulating inflammation, sympathetic activity and oxidative stress. This study tested the relationship between heart rate variability (HRV), a vagal nerve index, and the colon cancer (CC) marker carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), in an 'historical prospective' design.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined data of 72 CC patients, without inflammatory or cardiac diseases, of whom 38 had baseline electrocardiograms (ECG) and 12 month CEA levels. We measured HRV (SDNN, RMSSD) from brief archived ECG. Multiple confounders were considered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Controlling for effects of tumor stage and treatment-orientation, baseline HRV predicted CEA levels at 12 months (r=-.43, p=.006). Patients with SDNN<20 ms had significantly higher CEA at 12months than those with SDNN>20 ms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These preliminary results showed that higher HRV predicts lower levels of a tumor marker, one year later, independent of confounders. This supports the hypothesized role of vagal activity in tumor modulation. Replication in larger samples is needed.
authors: Free University of Brussels (VUB), Faculty of Medicine & Pharmacy, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Mouton
authors: Alain
authors: A
authors: Ronson
authors: Darius
authors: D
authors: Razavi
authors: François
authors: F
authors: Delhaye
authors: Nina
authors: N
authors: Kupper
authors: Marianne
authors: M
authors: Paesmans
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Moreau
authors: Jean-Marie
authors: JM
authors: Nogaret
authors: Alain
authors: A
authors: Hendlisz
authors: Yori
authors: Y
authors: Gidron
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D020421:Vagus Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen