Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026

The Treadmill Fatigue Test: A Simple, High-throughput Assay of Fatigue-like Behavior for the Mouse
Published on: May 31, 2016
Cancer-related fatigue and chemotherapy-associated adverse effects: correlation with TNF-α, IL-1 and
Shuyao Zhang1, De Zeng, Yuhui Peng
1Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China.
Aim:
We sought to determine the relationship between cancer-related fatigue, chemotherapy-associated adverse effects in patients with advanced stages of cancer, and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1 and 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (17-HCS).
Patients & Methods:
Two hundred cancer patients were recruited. They were given a Cancer Fatigue Scale survey to assess their general state of health before and after chemotherapy. Their plasma levels of TNF-α and IL-1 and urine levels of 17-HCS were also measured.
Results:
Increased levels of TNF-α and IL-1 are common in cancer patients. Thirty-five (17.5%) patients suffered from chemotherapy-associated adverse effects, but their plasma levels of TNF-α and IL-1 were not significantly elevated after chemotherapy. However, the urinary levels of 17-HCS levels were significantly elevated in 23 patients after chemotherapy.
Conclusion:
Patients who had elevated urinary levels of 17-HCS before chemotherapy are accompanied by chemotherapy-associated adverse effects. Thus, elevated 17-HCS in urine could be a possible predictor for chemotherapy-associated adverse effects.
Related Concept Videos
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Biologic Agents: Anti-TNF
Tumor Immunotherapy

