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Meta-Analysis
. 2012 Aug;26(6):830-48.
doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2012.05.004. Epub 2012 May 14.

A systematic review of the association between immunogenomic markers and cancer-related fatigue

L N Saligan  1 , H S Kim
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

A systematic review of the association between immunogenomic markers and cancer-related fatigue

L N Saligan et al. Brain Behav Immun. 2012 Aug.

Abstract

Fatigue, which is one of the most commonly reported symptoms in cancer, can negatively impact the functional status and the health-related quality of life of individuals. This paper systematically reviews 34 studies to determine patterns of associations between immunogenomic markers and levels of cancer-related fatigue (CRF). Findings from the longitudinal studies revealed that elevated fatigue symptoms especially of women with early stages of breast cancer were associated with high levels of neutrophil/monocyte, IL-1ra, and IL-6 during radiation therapy; high levels of CD4+, IL-1β, and IL-6 with stressing stimuli; high levels of IL-1β during chemotherapy; low NK cell levels after chemotherapy; and presence of homozygous IL-6 and TNF alleles. In the cross-sectional studies, associations between levels of fatigue and immune/inflammatory markers were not consistently found, especially when covariates such as BMI, ethnicity, menopausal status, and educational level were controlled in the statistical analyses. However, a number of genomic markers were observed to be elevated mostly in fatigued breast cancer survivors in the cross-sectional studies. Gaps in knowledge and recommendations for future research are discussed.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Association of Inflammatory Markers and Cancer-Related Fatigue
The link between inflammatory markers and cancer-related fatigue may be related to the inflammatory state generated by cancer progression and/or cancer therapy. Both conditions trigger an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokine production by white blood cells (especially monocytes). The systemic experience of CRF may be related to the interactions of pro-inflammatory cytokines and immune cells with brain structures that migrate through a disrupted blood-brain barrier altered by pro-inflammatory cytokine-related activities. CRF intensity is dependent on physiological, psychological, genetic, and environmental factors.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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