Positive Psychosocial Factors and Oxytocin in the Ovarian Tumor Microenvironment.

Objective: Clinical ovarian cancer research shows relationships between psychosocial factors and disease-promoting aspects of the stress response (e.g., norepinephrine and cortisol).

Oxytocin in the tumor microenvironment is associated with lower inflammation and longer survival in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer patients.

Background: Prior research demonstrates a protective role for oxytocin in ovarian cancer based on its anti-proliferative, anti-migratory, and anti-invasive effects in vitro and in vivo. However, the role of endogenous oxytocin has not been examined in ovarian cancer patients. Oxytocin also has anti-inflammatory properties that have not been examined in cancer.

Life stress as a risk factor for sustained anxiety and cortisol dysregulation during the first year of survivorship in ovarian cancer.

Background: Patients with ovarian cancer often report elevated anxiety at diagnosis that decreases posttreatment. However, a minority of patients experience sustained anxiety. Few studies have examined risk factors for persistent anxiety or its physiologic sequelae in ovarian cancer.

Diurnal cortisol rhythms, fatigue and psychosocial factors in five-year survivors of ovarian cancer.

Fatigue is a challenge in ovarian cancer survivorship and greatly impacts quality of life. In other cancer populations, fatigue has been associated with abnormal diurnal cortisol patterns. However, little is known about biological and behavioral factors in 5+-year ovarian cancer survivors and potential mechanisms underlying persistent fatigue have not been investigated in this population.

Changes in spiritual well-being and psychological outcomes in ovarian cancer survivors.

Objective: Because of the poor prognosis of ovarian cancer and concomitant distress, understanding contributors to positive well-being is critical. This study examines spiritual growth as a domain of posttraumatic growth and its contribution to longitudinal emotional outcomes in ovarian cancer.

Methods: Ovarian cancer patients (N = 241) completed measures assessing spirituality (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being-12; subscales: faith, meaning, and peace), depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), cancer-specific anxiety (Impact of Event Scale), and total mood disturbance (TMD; Profile of Mood States) prior to surgery and 1-year postsurgery.