Epigenetics and Psychoneurologic Symptoms in Women With Breast Cancer

Advancements in breast cancer have resulted in increased survival rates; however, many women with breast cancer experience distressing symptoms. Inflammatory activation and epigenetic alterations have been associated with the etiology of cancer. To date, no investigators have considered these epigenetic processes as possible mechanisms associated with the etiology of distressing symptoms in women with breast cancer. The specific aims of this study are to examine:

The frequency and severity of psychoneurological (PN) symptoms (depressive symptoms, anxiety, sleep disturbances, fatigue, pain and cognitive dysfunction)and the interrelationship among PN symptoms at each time point
Levels of inflammation and to quantify the frequency and genome-wide location of changes in epigenetic patterns across time following chemotherapy
The relationship among inflammation, epigenetic changes, and the development, severity, and persistence of PN symptoms across time The study results may potentially deepen understanding regarding the biological processes underlying PN symptoms and lead to improved strategies for symptom management in women with breast cancer.