Author Interviews, Breast Cancer, Cancer Research, Depression, Mental Health Research / 28.03.2013
Predictors of depression in breast cancer patients treated with radiation: Role of prior chemotherapy and nuclear factor kappa B
MedicalResearch.com Interview with Mylin A. Torres, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Radiation Oncology
Emory University School of Medicine
Atlanta, GA 30322
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Torres: Radiation treatment for breast cancer is not associated with increased depressive symptoms, but of disease and treatment-related factors, prior chemotherapy treatment is a significant predictor of depression before and after radiation treatment. Prior chemotherapy treatment was associated with inflammatory mediators, including nuclear factor-kappa B DNA binding, soluble tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor 2, and interleukin-6, which predicted for depressive symptoms after radiation on univariate analysis.
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