Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Credits and acknowledgements
- Section 1 Introduction
- Section 2 Cancer Symptom Mechanisms and Models: Clinical and Basic Science
- 4 The clinical science of cancer pain assessment and management
- 5 Pain: basic science
- 5a Mechanisms of disease-related pain in cancer: insights from the study of bone tumors
- 5b The physiology of neuropathic pain
- 6 Cognitive dysfunction: is chemobrain real?
- 7 Cognitive impairment: basic science
- 8 Depression in cancer: pathophysiology at the mind-body interface
- 9 Depressive illness: basic science
- 9a Animal models of depressive illness and sickness behavior
- 9b From inflammation to sickness and depression: the cytokine connection
- 10 Cancer-related fatigue: clinical science
- 11 Developing translational animal models of cancer-related fatigue
- 12 Cancer anorexia/weight loss syndrome: clinical science
- 13 Appetite loss/cachexia: basic science
- 14 Sleep and its disorders: clinical science
- 15 Sleep and its disorders: basic science
- 16 Proteins and symptoms
- 17 Genetic approaches to treating and preventing symptoms in patients with cancer
- 18 Functional imaging of symptoms
- 19 High-dose therapy and posttransplantation symptom burden: striking a balance
- Section 3 Clinical Perspectives In Symptom Management and Research
- Section 4 Symptom Measurement
- Section 5 Government and Industry Perspectives
- Section 6 Conclusion
- Index
- Plate section
- References
9a - Animal models of depressive illness and sickness behavior
from Section 2 - Cancer Symptom Mechanisms and Models: Clinical and Basic Science
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 August 2011
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Credits and acknowledgements
- Section 1 Introduction
- Section 2 Cancer Symptom Mechanisms and Models: Clinical and Basic Science
- 4 The clinical science of cancer pain assessment and management
- 5 Pain: basic science
- 5a Mechanisms of disease-related pain in cancer: insights from the study of bone tumors
- 5b The physiology of neuropathic pain
- 6 Cognitive dysfunction: is chemobrain real?
- 7 Cognitive impairment: basic science
- 8 Depression in cancer: pathophysiology at the mind-body interface
- 9 Depressive illness: basic science
- 9a Animal models of depressive illness and sickness behavior
- 9b From inflammation to sickness and depression: the cytokine connection
- 10 Cancer-related fatigue: clinical science
- 11 Developing translational animal models of cancer-related fatigue
- 12 Cancer anorexia/weight loss syndrome: clinical science
- 13 Appetite loss/cachexia: basic science
- 14 Sleep and its disorders: clinical science
- 15 Sleep and its disorders: basic science
- 16 Proteins and symptoms
- 17 Genetic approaches to treating and preventing symptoms in patients with cancer
- 18 Functional imaging of symptoms
- 19 High-dose therapy and posttransplantation symptom burden: striking a balance
- Section 3 Clinical Perspectives In Symptom Management and Research
- Section 4 Symptom Measurement
- Section 5 Government and Industry Perspectives
- Section 6 Conclusion
- Index
- Plate section
- References
Summary
For many patients with cancer, becoming depressed is frequently associated with both the cancer and its treatments. In a recent state-of-the-science conference, depression was highlighted as one of the most important symptoms facing patients with cancer, along with fatigue and pain. Only a small proportion of patients with cancer present with major depression as defined by the revised fourth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IVR), but depression-like symptoms, including reduced interest in previously pleasurable activities, lack of motivation, and sadness are frequently reported by patients with cancer in various stages of the disease.
It is easy to attribute these changes in affect to the patient learning that they have a potentially fatal disease. However, the degree of disturbance reported by patients is typically only modestly correlated with the severity of their disease or their prognosis. Only recently has there been interest in the association between the biological insults caused by cancer and its treatment, and the changes in affect and the other symptoms that patients report. Having a greater understanding of the biology contributing to cancer-related changes in affect should lead to better control or prevention of this source of distress.
Animal models of depressed affect related to disease burden or treatment toxicities may be important for developing a mechanistic understanding of why these changes occur. Currently, animal models of depressed affect related to cancer are relatively unexplored (but see below).
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Cancer Symptom ScienceMeasurement, Mechanisms, and Management, pp. 82 - 94Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010