Journal
PSYCHOSOMATIC MEDICINE
Volume 76, Issue 3, Pages 208-214Publisher
LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
DOI: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000041
Keywords
early life stress; maltreatment; inflammation; immune dysregulation; cytokines; carcinoma
Categories
Funding
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Cancer Institute [RO1CA 109650]
- Breast Cancer Research Foundation
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences [T32GM084903]
- National Institute on Aging [T32AG033533]
- UCLA Career Development Program in Population-Based Cancer Prevention and Control Research [R25T]
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Objective: Elevated inflammation predicts behavioral symptoms, disease progression, and mortality in patients with breast cancer and breast cancer survivors, although predictors of inflammation remain largely unknown. Adverse experiences in childhood have been associated with higher rates of psychological and physical illness, and elevated inflammatory activity in studies of healthy adults. However, little research has examined the association between childhood adversity and inflammation in the context of cancer, where inflammation is particularly relevant for health. Methods: The current study examined the association between three types of childhood adversity-abuse, neglect, and a chaotic home environment-and inflammatory markers (interleukin [IL]-6 and C-reactive protein), in breast cancer survivors who had completed primary cancer treatment 1 year earlier (n = 152). Results: The combined measure of childhood adversity was associated with elevations in plasma levels of IL-6 (B = 0.009, p = .027, eta(2) = 0.027, after controlling for age, body mass index, ethnicity, alcohol use, and cancer treatment (surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy). Examination of individual types of adversity demonstrated a positive association between abuse and IL-6 (B = 0.043, p = .030, eta(2) = 0.026), chaotic home environment and IL-6 (B = 0.031, p = .005, eta(2) = 0.043), and chaotic home environment and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor type II (B = 0.012, p = .009, eta(2) = 0.037), after controlling for relevant confounds. Conclusion: Childhood adversity was associated with elevated markers of inflammation in breast cancer survivors, with potential negative implications for health and wellbeing. In particular, chaotic home environment showed unique links with inflammatory outcomes.
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