The relationship between cytokines and symptoms in people with incurable cancer: a systematic review

Rebekah Patton; Robert Paval; James J. McDonald; Duncan Brown; Iain Gallagher; Richard Skipworth; Donald McMillan; Ross Dolan; Marie T Fallon; Barry J A Laird

doi:10.1016/j.critrevonc.2021.103222

The relationship between cytokines and symptoms in people with incurable cancer: a systematic review

Rebekah Patton, Robert Paval, James J. McDonald, Duncan Brown, Iain Gallagher, Richard Skipworth, Donald McMillan, Ross Dolan, Marie T Fallon, Barry J A Laird

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background
Development and spread of cancer is linked to the inflammatory response, in which cytokines serve a key role. The inflammatory response may also form the basis for symptoms of cancer. This systematic review examines the relationship between cytokines and symptoms in incurable cancer.

Methods
MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science and PsycINFO databases were searched for studies from January 2004 to January 2020.

Results
Twenty studies were selected (n = 1806 patients, 119 controls). Symptoms studied included depression, fatigue, pain, and loss of appetite. Nine studies examined patients with a specified tumour type, the remainder included patients with a mix of tumour types. Thirty-one cytokines were examined; multiple associations between cytokines and symptoms were described, supporting the hypothesis that cytokines may have a key role in symptom generation.

Conclusion
Symptoms of incurable cancer are associated with circulating cytokines. Further study is required to characterise these relationships, and to explore their therapeutic potential.

Original language	English
Article number	103222
Journal	Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
Volume	159
Early online date	19 Jan 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.critrevonc.2021.103222
Publication status	Published - Mar 2021

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

cytokines
palliative medicine
symptoms
systemic inflammatory response
cancer

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10.1016/j.critrevonc.2021.103222

Cytokines and symptoms in patients with incurable cancer- final manuscriptAccepted author manuscript, 443 KB

Cite this

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title = "The relationship between cytokines and symptoms in people with incurable cancer: a systematic review",

abstract = "Background Development and spread of cancer is linked to the inflammatory response, in which cytokines serve a key role. The inflammatory response may also form the basis for symptoms of cancer. This systematic review examines the relationship between cytokines and symptoms in incurable cancer. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science and PsycINFO databases were searched for studies from January 2004 to January 2020. Results Twenty studies were selected (n = 1806 patients, 119 controls). Symptoms studied included depression, fatigue, pain, and loss of appetite. Nine studies examined patients with a specified tumour type, the remainder included patients with a mix of tumour types. Thirty-one cytokines were examined; multiple associations between cytokines and symptoms were described, supporting the hypothesis that cytokines may have a key role in symptom generation. Conclusion Symptoms of incurable cancer are associated with circulating cytokines. Further study is required to characterise these relationships, and to explore their therapeutic potential.",

keywords = "cytokines, palliative medicine, symptoms, systemic inflammatory response, cancer",

author = "Rebekah Patton and Robert Paval and McDonald, \{James J.\} and Duncan Brown and Iain Gallagher and Richard Skipworth and Donald McMillan and Ross Dolan and Fallon, \{Marie T\} and Laird, \{Barry J A\}",

year = "2021",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1016/j.critrevonc.2021.103222",

language = "English",

volume = "159",

journal = "Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology",

issn = "1040-8428",

publisher = "Elsevier",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - The relationship between cytokines and symptoms in people with incurable cancer

T2 - a systematic review

AU - Patton, Rebekah

AU - Paval, Robert

AU - McDonald, James J.

AU - Brown, Duncan

AU - Gallagher, Iain

AU - Skipworth, Richard

AU - McMillan, Donald

AU - Dolan, Ross

AU - Fallon, Marie T

AU - Laird, Barry J A

PY - 2021/3

Y1 - 2021/3

N2 - Background Development and spread of cancer is linked to the inflammatory response, in which cytokines serve a key role. The inflammatory response may also form the basis for symptoms of cancer. This systematic review examines the relationship between cytokines and symptoms in incurable cancer. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science and PsycINFO databases were searched for studies from January 2004 to January 2020. Results Twenty studies were selected (n = 1806 patients, 119 controls). Symptoms studied included depression, fatigue, pain, and loss of appetite. Nine studies examined patients with a specified tumour type, the remainder included patients with a mix of tumour types. Thirty-one cytokines were examined; multiple associations between cytokines and symptoms were described, supporting the hypothesis that cytokines may have a key role in symptom generation. Conclusion Symptoms of incurable cancer are associated with circulating cytokines. Further study is required to characterise these relationships, and to explore their therapeutic potential.

AB - Background Development and spread of cancer is linked to the inflammatory response, in which cytokines serve a key role. The inflammatory response may also form the basis for symptoms of cancer. This systematic review examines the relationship between cytokines and symptoms in incurable cancer. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science and PsycINFO databases were searched for studies from January 2004 to January 2020. Results Twenty studies were selected (n = 1806 patients, 119 controls). Symptoms studied included depression, fatigue, pain, and loss of appetite. Nine studies examined patients with a specified tumour type, the remainder included patients with a mix of tumour types. Thirty-one cytokines were examined; multiple associations between cytokines and symptoms were described, supporting the hypothesis that cytokines may have a key role in symptom generation. Conclusion Symptoms of incurable cancer are associated with circulating cytokines. Further study is required to characterise these relationships, and to explore their therapeutic potential.

KW - cytokines

KW - palliative medicine

KW - symptoms

KW - systemic inflammatory response

KW - cancer

U2 - 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2021.103222

DO - 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2021.103222

M3 - Article

SN - 1040-8428

VL - 159

JO - Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology

JF - Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology

M1 - 103222

ER -

The relationship between cytokines and symptoms in people with incurable cancer: a systematic review

Abstract

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

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