Cytokines in depression and anxiety in patients with colorectal cancer

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality in the world. Depression and anxiety are the most prevalent psychological disorders in patients with cancer, including CRC. The occurrence of these symptoms impairs the adherence to cancer treatment and the quality of life of patients. The identification and proper management of these disorders is an important issue in oncology nursing practice. Evidences suggesting a role of cytokines in the pathophysiology of depression, combined with the presence of high levels of these molecules in cancer patients suggest that they can play an important role in the etiology and pathophysiology of depression and anxiety in these subjects. An integral understanding of these factors will allow the design of nursing interventions that lead to an improved quality of life and overall survival of patients with CRC. This study aims to investigate whether there is a correlation between anxiety, depression and serum cytokine levels in patients with colorectal cancer. Adult patients with colorectal cancer and in different stages of the antitumor therapy, attending the Clinical Oncology Service at the Clinical Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto (HCFMRP/USP) will be invited to participate in the study. Depression and anxiety will be analyzed using the HADS scale (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and serum levels of IL-1, IL-6, INF- ³, TNF-±, TGF- ², IL-10 and fractalkine (CX3C) will be measured by ELISA. Comparison between the groups will be performed using ANOVA-F and Kruskal-Wallis test. (AU)