ASPO Abstracts
Associations between inflammation and angiogenesis biomarkers and cancer-related distress: results from the prospective ColoCare Study
Category: Behavioral Science & Health Communication
Conference Year: 2022
Abstract Body:
BACKGROUNDPatients with colorectal cancer (CRC) commonly suffer from complex psychological distress. Previous research, including preclinical models, suggests this may be linked to systemic inflammation and angiogenesis. We investigated the effects of inflammation and angiogenesis biomarkers on cancer-related distress 12 months after surgery in CRC patients.METHODSWe included n=315 CRC patients (stage I-IV) from 2 study sites of the prospective, longitudinal ColoCare Study: Huntsman Cancer Institute and University of Heidelberg. Inflammatory biomarkers: CRP, IL-6, IL-8, SAA and TNF-α, and angiogenesis biomarkers: VEGF-A VEGF-D, sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 were measured in pre-surgery serum samples. Distress was measured using the Cancer and Treatment Distress instrument including an overall score and 4 subdomains: uncertainty, health burden, family and friends strain, and managing medical and financial demands. Distress scores were dichotomized using a previously established cut point. Logistic regressions were computed to investigate the associations of log2-transformed biomarkers with distress 12 months after surgery. Results were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, tumor stage and study site.RESULTSDoubling of IL-8 and VEGF-D was associated with increased risk of overall distress (e.g., VEGF-D: Odds Ratio (OR)=1.24; 95% Confidence Interval (CI)=1.00-1.53; p=0.048). Doubling of VEGF-A and VEGF-D was associated with increased risk of high family and friends strain distress (e.g., VEGF-A: OR=1.34; 95% CI=1.07-1.68; p=0.02). Furthermore, doubling of TNF-α, IL-8 and VEGF-A was associated with increased risk of high health burden (e.g., TNF-α: OR=2.04; 95% CI=1.03-1.60; p=0.03). Finally, doubling of IL-6, VEGF-A and VEGF-D was associated with increased risk of medical and financial demands (e.g., IL-6: OR=1.32; 95% CI=1.02-1.72; p=0.04).CONCLUSIONSThis is the first study to show that angiogenesis biomarkers are significantly associated with cancer-related distress and adds to the evidence that inflammation biomarkers are associated with cancer-related distress one year after surgery. Interventions focused on lowering systemic inflammation, such as exercise and diet, may impact longer term cancer-related distress and improve the quality of life of CRC patient
Keywords: Inflammation Angiogenesis Biomarkers Distress