Association of Stress Coping Strategies with Immunological Parameters in Melanoma Patients.
In this exploratory case control study the association between stress coping strategies and lymphocyte subpopulations was calculated in 18 non-metastatic melanoma patients and 18 controls with benign skin diseases. Coping strategies were assessed using the German version of the stress-coping questionnaire (SVF 120). While in the control group patients showed significant negative correlations of lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD19+, CD45+ cells) with coping strategies that refer to defence, in melanoma patients significant positive correlations between lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+, CD19+, CD45+ cells) were found with regard to coping strategies that are characterized by diversion from stress and focusing on stress-compensating situations. The present data, in melanoma patients and controls, show contrary correlations between stress coping strategies and lymphocyte subpopulations. The interconnection between stress coping and immunologic alterations in malignant melanoma is a field deserving further multiprofessional investigation in order to provide new therapeutical approaches in the treatment and understanding of melanoma patients.
Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 31/1, AT-8036 Graz , Austria. eva.trapp@medunigraz.at.
Eva-Maria
EM
Trapp
Michael
M
Trapp
Alexander
A
Avian
Peter Michael
PM
Rohrer
Thorsten
T
Weissenböck
Hans-Peter
HP
Kapfhammer
Ulrike
U
Demel
Michael Dennis
MD
Linder
Adelheid
A
Kresse
Erika
E
Richtig
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires