University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI)


Stress Effects on Cancer Development and Progression

CortisolBiobehavioral investigations of effects of psychological stress on biological processes involved in cancer etiology, progression, and treatment efficacy are a continuing focus of the BMOP. One goal of the BMOP is to increase appreciation of emerging cancer research demonstrating that pro-inflammatory processes contribute to the development and progression of several types of cancer, as well as emerging evidence of direct effects of neuroendocrine influences on pre-neoplastic and transformed cells themselves.


Selected Publications

  • The immune system is highly responsive to stress, although the complete mechanisms linking stress and immune mediators, including T lymphocytes, are not fully understood. BMOP researchers show that stress, via release of stress hormones, induces early T cell activation and greatly impacts the cytoskeleton by modulating numerous actin-regulating proteins (Flint MS, et. al., Brain Behav Immun. 25:1187-96, 2011).
  • BMOP members examined the connections between emotional responses and increased levels of circulating inflammatory markers, using experimental induction of psychological stress with a speech task under controlled laboratory conditions. Results revealed positive associations between increases in IL-6 levels and task-related increases in anger and anxiety, which were independent of variability in participants' levels of cardiovascular reactivity to the task. (Carroll JE et.al. Brain Behav Immun. 25:232-8, 2011).
Bovbjerg, Dana, PhD
Psychiatry		 Marsland, Anna, PhD, RN
Psychology
Dew, Mary Amanda, PhD
Psychiatry 		Perkins, Kenneth, PhD
Psychiatry
Flint, Melanie, PhD
Pharmacology & Chemical Biology		 Rosenzweig, Margaret, PhD, CRNP-C, AOCN
Acute/Tertiary Care
Helgeson, Vicki, PhD
Psychology 		Scheier, Michael, PhD
Psychology
Jenkins, Frank, PhD
Pathology		 Schulz, Richard, PhD
Psychiatry
Kamarck, Thomas, PhD
Psychology		 Steel, Jennifer, PhD
Surgery