Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2025
09:01
Analysis of Human T Cell Activity in an Allogeneic Co-Culture Setting of Pre-Treated Tumor Cells
Published on: March 7, 2025
394
Linkage between Psychological Factors and Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy: A Preliminary Study
Miri Cohen1, Yosi Shamay2, Johanna Czamanski-Cohen3
1School of Social Work, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel.
Cells
|October 27, 2023
Summary
Psychological distress impacts cancer treatment. This study found perceived health and quality of life correlate with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment response, possibly through inflammatory markers.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Psychoneuroimmunology
- Cancer Immunology
Background:
- Psychological distress is known to influence immune regulation, cancer treatment response, and survival.
- The impact of psychological factors on the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy remains understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between psychological parameters and patient responses to ICI treatment.
- To explore associations between psychological factors and specific blood biomarkers (sPD-1, sCTLA-4, cytokines) relevant to ICI therapy.
Main Methods:
- A preliminary study involving 62 advanced cancer patients undergoing ICI treatment.
- Data collection included questionnaires on psychological factors, blood samples, and medical data pre-treatment and at 3 months post-treatment.
Main Results:
- Better perceived health status was linked to improved ICI treatment response.
- Worse quality of life correlated with elevated IL-6 and sCTLA-4.
- Emotional distress and sleep issues were associated with higher sCTLA-4; better perceived health with lower IL-6 and TNFα.
- No association was found between sPD-1 and psychological measures.
Conclusions:
- Psychological factors, particularly perceived health and quality of life, may influence ICI treatment outcomes.
- Pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNFα) and sCTLA-4 may mediate the link between psychological status and treatment response.
- This research highlights potential psychoneuroimmunological mechanisms affecting cancer immunotherapy efficacy.
Keywords:
CTLA-4PD-1cancercytokinesemotional distresshealth-related quality of lifeimmune checkpoint inhibitor therapyMore Related Videos
08:17A Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell PBMC Engrafted Humanized Xenograft Model for Translational Immuno-oncology I-O Research
Published on: August 15, 2019
14.5K
06:03Author Spotlight: Advancing Immune Monitoring in Critical Care Patients Using Whole Blood Assays
Published on: September 20, 2024
1.3K
Related Concept Videos
01:27Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response
933
Cytotoxic T cells are a vital component of the immune system. They have the remarkable ability to identify and target antigens on infected or abnormal cells. These antigens often originate from intracellular pathogens such as viruses or abnormal proteins cancer cells produce.
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
933
01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
538
Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
538
01:19Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer
31
Chronic stress has been linked to both the onset and progression of serious health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes and cancer. Type 2 diabetes, a widespread chronic illness, is closely associated with obesity and insulin resistance, both of which often worsen under stress. Studies indicate that men experiencing high levels of chronic stress face a 45% higher risk of developing diabetes compared to those with minimal stress. Stress triggers physiological responses that elevate blood...
31
01:27Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease
33
Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is a multidisciplinary field that examines how psychological factors, particularly stress, interact with the immune system and impact physical health. Research in PNI has shown that chronic or traumatic stress can disrupt both the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system. These disruptions contribute to serious health conditions, including cardiovascular diseases.
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
33
01:21Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview
2.0K
When it comes to infants and young children, they are typically administered smaller doses of medication in comparison to adults. This is primarily because their organ functions still need to fully develop, meaning their bodies are not as efficient at metabolizing or eliminating drugs. Additionally, their blood-brain barrier is more permeable than in adults. As a result, high concentrations of drugs can easily penetrate the central nervous system (CNS), potentially leading to neurological...
2.0K
01:40Cell-mediated Immune Responses
68.6K
Overview
68.6K