PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Inflammation from ADT may cause fatigue in prostate cancer patients

Moffitt Cancer Center study suggests elevation in inflammation marker IL-6 linked to higher levels of fatigue

2021-01-04
(Press-News.org) TAMPA, Fla. -- Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men in the U.S. For many patients, hormone therapy is a treatment option. This type of therapy, also called androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), reduces the level of testosterone and other androgens in the body. Lowering androgen levels can make prostate cancer cells grow more slowly or shrink tumors over time. However, patients receiving ADT often experience higher levels of fatigue, depression and cognitive impairment.

Moffitt Cancer Center researchers are investigating whether inflammation in the body, a side effect of ADT, contributes to these symptoms in prostate cancer patients. In a new study published in the journal Cancer, they pinpoint a specific inflammation marker that is associated with increased fatigue in this group of patients.

"This is the first study that we know of that examines the association between inflammation and symptoms of fatigue, depression or cognitive impairment in prostate cancer patients receiving ADT," said Heather Jim, Ph.D., corresponding author and co-leader of the Health Outcomes & Behavior Program at Moffitt. "Because the blocking of testosterone can increase inflammation in the body, we believe that inflammation may also be contributing to these symptoms."

For the study, the research team evaluated two groups of men: prostate cancer patients beginning ADT and a control group of healthy men the same age. The men were assessed at the start of the study and again at six and 12 months. Assessments included fatigue, depression and other neuropsychological tests and a blood draw. The bloodwork was to check for circulating markers of inflammation, specifically interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-2 (sTNF-R2) and C-reactive protein (CRP).

While the groups did not differ at baseline, researchers noticed a significant increase in fatigue and depressive symptoms in the ADT patients over the 12-month period. They also saw an increase in one inflammation marker, IL-6, in this group of patients.

"Interleukin-6 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is often associated with disruption of sleep and therefore fatigue," said Aasha Hoogland, Ph.D., lead study author and an applied research scientist in the Health Outcomes & Behavior Program at Moffitt. "Studies have shown testosterone can suppress the effects of IL-6, but ADT limits testosterone production in the body, which is why we may be seeing increased levels in this patient group." The researchers say additional studies are needed to see if interventions, such as anti-inflammatory medications and exercise, can help alleviate fatigue and depressive symptoms in ADT patients.

INFORMATION:

This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01 CA132803 and P30 CA076292) and a Miles for Moffitt Milestone Award.

About Moffitt Cancer Center Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 51 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt's scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt is the No. 11 cancer hospital and has been nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report since 1999. Moffitt's expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet® status, its highest distinction. With more than 7,000 team members, Moffitt has an economic impact in the state of $2.4 billion. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-888-663-3488), visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Researchers discover a new tool for reconstructing ancient sea ice to study climate change

Researchers discover a new tool for reconstructing ancient sea ice to study climate change
2021-01-04
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] -- Sea ice is a critical indicator of changes in the Earth's climate. A new discovery by Brown University researchers could provide scientists a new way to reconstruct sea ice abundance and distribution information from the ancient past, which could aid in understanding human-induced climate change happening now. In a study published in Nature Communications, the researchers show that an organic molecule often found in high-latitude ocean sediments, known as tetra-unsaturated alkenone (C37:4), is produced by one or more previously unknown species of ice-dwelling algae. As sea ice concentration ebbs and flows, so do the algae associated with it, as well as the molecules ...

Better together: Scientists discover applications of nanoparticles with multiple elements

2021-01-04
An emerging type of alloy nanoparticle proves more stable, durable than single-element nanoparticles. Catalysts are integral to countless aspects of modern society. By speeding up important chemical reactions, catalysts support industrial manufacturing and reduce harmful emissions. They also increase efficiency in chemical processes for applications ranging from batteries and transportation to beer and laundry detergent. As significant as catalysts are, the way they work is often a mystery to scientists. Understanding catalytic processes can help scientists develop more efficient and cost-effective catalysts. In a recent study, scientists from University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) and the U.S. Department of Energy's ...

Supercapacitors challenge batteries

Supercapacitors challenge batteries
2021-01-04
A team working with Roland Fischer, Professor of Inorganic and Metal-Organic Chemistry at the Technical University Munich (TUM) has developed a highly efficient supercapacitor. The basis of the energy storage device is a novel, powerful and also sustainable graphene hybrid material that has comparable performance data to currently utilized batteries. Usually, energy storage is associated with batteries and accumulators that provide energy for electronic devices. However, in laptops, cameras, cellphones or vehicles, so-called supercapacitors are increasingly installed these days. Unlike batteries they can quickly store large amounts of energy and put it out just as fast. ...

Pandas' popularity not protecting neighbors

Pandas popularity not protecting neighbors
2021-01-04
Forgive Asiatic black bear if they're not impressed with their popular giant panda neighbors. For decades, conservationists have preached that panda popularity, and the resulting support for their habitat, automatically benefits other animals in the mountainous ranges. That logic extends across the world, as animals regarded as cute, noble or otherwise appealing drum up support to protect where they live. Yet in Biological Conservation, scientists take a closer look at how other animals under the panda "umbrella" fare and find several species have every reason to be ticked at panda-centric ...

Immunology study finds protein critical to T cell metabolism and anti-tumor immune response

Immunology study finds protein critical to T cell metabolism and anti-tumor immune response
2021-01-04
HOUSTON -- Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that a protein called NF-kappa B-inducing kinase (NIK) is essential for the shift in metabolic activity that occurs with T cell activation, making it a critical factor in regulating the anti-tumor immune response. The preclinical research, published today in Nature Immunology, suggests that elevating NIK activity in T cells may be a promising strategy to enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy, including adoptive cellular therapies and immune checkpoint blockade. In a preclinical melanoma model, the researchers evaluated melanoma-specific T cells engineered to express higher levels of NIK. Compared to controls, ...

Single-cell analysis of metastatic gastric cancer finds diverse tumor cell populations associated with patient outcomes

Single-cell analysis of metastatic gastric cancer finds diverse tumor cell populations associated with patient outcomes
2021-01-04
HOUSTON -- Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center who profiled more than 45,000 individual cells from patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC), a specific form of metastatic gastric cancer, defined the extensive cellular heterogeneity and identified two distinct subtypes correlated with patient survival. Based on their findings, published today in Nature Medicine, the researchers developed and validated a gene expression signature capable of predicting patient survival better than other clinical features. If validated in prospective studies, this tool may be useful in stratifying ...

Fires, flooding before settlement may have formed the Amazon's rare patches of fertility

2021-01-04
EUGENE, Ore. -- Jan. 4, 2021 -- Phosphorous, calcium and charcoal in spotty patches of fertile soil in the Amazon rainforest suggest that natural processes such as fires and river flooding, not the ingenuity of indigenous populations, created rare sites suitable for agriculture, according to new research. The presence of pre-Columbian artifacts and signs of plant domestication uncovered in the region's fertile soil, commonly called Amazonian dark earth, had been thought to mean that agricultural practices, including controlled burning, by indigenous people had boosted soil nutrients. However, radiocarbon dating ...

Public mobility, social media attention in response to COVID-19 in Sweden, Denmark

2021-01-04
What The Study Did: Denmark was one of the first countries to enforce lockdown to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and subsequent gradual reopening, whereas Sweden has had few restrictions, largely limited to public recommendations. Researchers assessed public mobility and social media attention associated with COVID-19 spread and societal interventions from February to June in Denmark and Sweden. Authors: Isabell Brikell, Ph.D., of the Karolinska Institutet in  Stockholm, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at ...

Risk of substance use disorder among patients with autism

2021-01-04
What The Study Did: Researchers used health insurance data from Taiwan to investigate the risk of substance use disorder among patients with autism spectrum disorder and its associations with risk of death. Authors: Chih-Sung Liang, M.D., of the National Defense Medical Center, and Mu-Hong Chen, M.D., Ph.D., of the Taipei Veterans General Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan, are the corresponding authors. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.5371) Editor's Note: The article includes funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author ...

Risk of extinction cascades from freshwater mussels to a bitterling fish

Risk of extinction cascades from freshwater mussels to a bitterling fish
2021-01-04
Bitterling fishes (Subfamily: Acheilognathinae) spawn in the gills of living freshwater mussels obligately depending on the mussels for reproduction. On the Matsuyama Plain, Japan, populations of unionid mussels--Pronodularia japanensis, Nodularia douglasiae, and Sinanodonta lauta--have decreased rapidly over the past 30 years. Simultaneously, the population of a native bitterling fish, Tanakia lanceolata, which depends on the three unionids as a breeding substrate, has decreased. Furthermore, a congeneric bitterling, Tanakia limbata, has been artificially introduced, and hybridisation and genetic introgression occur between them. Here, we surveyed the reproduction and occurrence of hybridisation between native and invasive species ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New hurdle seen to prostate screening: primary-care docs

MSU researchers explore how virtual sports aid mental health

Working together, cells extend their senses

Cheese fungi help unlock secrets of evolution

Researchers find brain region that fuels compulsive drinking

Mental health effects of exposure to firearm violence persist long after direct exposure

Research identifies immune response that controls Oropouche infection and prevents neurological damage

University of Cincinnati, Kent State University awarded $3M by NSF to share research resources

Ancient DNA reveals deeply complex Mastodon family and repeated migrations driven by climate change

Measuring the quantum W state

Researchers find a way to use antibodies to direct T cells to kill Cytomegalovirus-infected cells

Engineers create mini microscope for real-time brain imaging

Funding for training and research in biological complexity

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: September 12, 2025

ISSCR statement on the scientific and therapeutic value of human fetal tissue research

Novel PET tracer detects synaptic changes in spinal cord and brain after spinal cord injury

Wiley advances Knowitall Solutions with new trendfinder application for user-friendly chemometric analysis and additional enhancements to analytical workflows

Benchmark study tracks trends in dog behavior

OpenAI, DeepSeek, and Google vary widely in identifying hate speech

Research spotlight: Study identifies a surprising new treatment target for chronic limb threatening ischemia

Childhood loneliness and cognitive decline and dementia risk in middle-aged and older adults

Parental diseases of despair and suicidal events in their children

Acupuncture for chronic low back pain in older adults

Acupuncture treatment improves disabling effects of chronic low back pain in older adults

How interstellar objects similar to 3I/ATLAS could jump-start planet formation around infant stars

Rented e-bicycles more dangerous than e-scooters in cities

Ditches as waterways: Managing ‘ditch-scapes’ to strengthen communities and the environment

In-situ molecular passivation enables pure-blue perovskite LEDs via vacuum thermal evaporation

Microscopes can now watch materials go quantum with liquid helium

Who shows up in times of need? High school extracurriculars offer clues

[Press-News.org] Inflammation from ADT may cause fatigue in prostate cancer patients
Moffitt Cancer Center study suggests elevation in inflammation marker IL-6 linked to higher levels of fatigue