Social Isolation Worsens Cancer, Mouse Study Suggests
Social Isolation Worsens Cancer, Mouse Study Suggests
Six years ago, research began when cancer specialist, Suzanne D. Conzen, MD, and biobehavioral psychologist Martha McClintock, PhD, joined forces to study together. Their study: "result of social isolation in aging, to study behavior and cancer in a mouse model". These mice were genetically predisposed to develop breast cancer and raised them in different environments. One was a group, and the other isolated. In the same amount of time, the isolated mice seemed to grow larger breast cancer tumors. They also developed a disrupted stress hormone response.
Because of such a measurable difference in the mammary gland tumor (breast cancer), the researchers focused their attention on "how the chronic social environment affected the biology of cancer growth", and they wanted to find molecular consequences of the stressful environment. Metabolic pathway genes, which are expected to favor increased tumor growth, were studied over time. It was found that there were altered expression levels in the isolated mice.
Some of their findings also support previously done epidemiologic studies. Social isolation does, in fact, increase the mortality of chronic diseases while social support improves the outcomes of cancer patients.
I found this article extremely interesting because there have been a few cases of cancer in my family. My uncle survived lymphoma surrounding his intestines after he had surgery to remove twenty two feet of his gut along with the cancer. Everyday, my cousins, my mom or my dad, were there to support him and keep him alive. He was very close to death, but by the grace of God, my families support kept him here. I do agree that we need the support to live and to fight chronic diseases like cancer. There's no way I would be able to do it on my own.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090929133115.htm
Six years ago, research began when cancer specialist, Suzanne D. Conzen, MD, and biobehavioral psychologist Martha McClintock, PhD, joined forces to study together. Their study: "result of social isolation in aging, to study behavior and cancer in a mouse model". These mice were genetically predisposed to develop breast cancer and raised them in different environments. One was a group, and the other isolated. In the same amount of time, the isolated mice seemed to grow larger breast cancer tumors. They also developed a disrupted stress hormone response.
Because of such a measurable difference in the mammary gland tumor (breast cancer), the researchers focused their attention on "how the chronic social environment affected the biology of cancer growth", and they wanted to find molecular consequences of the stressful environment. Metabolic pathway genes, which are expected to favor increased tumor growth, were studied over time. It was found that there were altered expression levels in the isolated mice.
Some of their findings also support previously done epidemiologic studies. Social isolation does, in fact, increase the mortality of chronic diseases while social support improves the outcomes of cancer patients.
I found this article extremely interesting because there have been a few cases of cancer in my family. My uncle survived lymphoma surrounding his intestines after he had surgery to remove twenty two feet of his gut along with the cancer. Everyday, my cousins, my mom or my dad, were there to support him and keep him alive. He was very close to death, but by the grace of God, my families support kept him here. I do agree that we need the support to live and to fight chronic diseases like cancer. There's no way I would be able to do it on my own.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090929133115.htm
posted by Eva Szabuniewicz at 8:36 AM
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