Cortisol awakening response as a prospective risk factor for depressive symptoms in women after treatment for breast cancer

摘要

ObjectiveTo investigate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA-axis) functioning as a neurobiological risk factor for depressive symptoms in an ongoing longitudinal, observational study of women undergoing treatment and recovery from breast cancer. Many women with breast cancer experience depressive symptoms that interfere with their treatment, recovery, and quality of life. Psychosocial risk factors for depression among cancer patients and survivors have been identified, yet neurobiological risk factors in this population remain largely unexamined.