A stress management program customized for women with breast cancer can modify tumor-promoting processes at the molecular level, according to researchers led by Michael H. Antoni, director of the University of Miami’s Center for Psycho-Oncology Research. The new study by Antoni and his team was recently published in the journal Biological Psychiatry.
Researchers discovered that a group-based intervention called cognitive-behavioral stress management (CBSM) affects the on and off switch of genes in the cells of the immune system and therefore may facilitate a more positive recovery during breast cancer treatment.
“For the women in the CBSM groups, there was better psychological adaptation to the whole process of going through treatment for breast cancer and there were physiological changes that indicated that the women were recovering better,” said Antoni, professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and program leader of biobehavioral oncology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Previous research has shown the nervous and endocrine systems respond to difficult times by sending signals to the immune system, and in response our body activates specific leukocytes. “The [study] results suggest that the stress management intervention mitigates the influence of the stress of cancer treatment and promotes recovery over the first year,” Antoni explained.
CBSM is a 10-week group-based program developed at the University of Miami. It combines relaxation, imagery, and deep breathing, along with cognitive behavior therapy. The program is intended to assist patients with reducing bodily tension; changing how they cope with intrusive, stressful thoughts; decreasing negative moods; and improving their interpersonal communication skills. For this study, 79 women receiving primary treatment for stage III breast cancer were randomized into a 10-week CBSM program or a psychoeducational control group in the weeks following surgery. Follow-up assessments were conducted at 6 and 12 months.
“For the women who participated in the intervention groups, the genes that signal the production of molecules associated with a healthy immune response, such as type I interferon, were up-regulated – meaning they were producing more of these substances compared with levels seen in the control group,” Antoni said. “At the same time, the genes responsible for the production of substances involved in cancer progression, such as proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and matrix metalloproteinases were down-regulated.”
To determine if CBSM intervention and its effects on leukocyte gene expression are prognostic of recurrence and/or long-term health outcomes, Antoni and the research team plan to continue following the study participants.
Source: University of Miami.
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