Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38758235›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2024

Investigating the role of TGF-β and BDNF in cancer-related depression: a primary cross-sectional study.

Jingjing Lin, Lin Xiao, Xinchen Nie, Zhijian Wang, Yuanyuan Luo, Lili Zhang, Yawei Liu

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Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Cognitive impairment is associated with altered blood cell profiles in aggressive lymphoma.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Jingjing LinSchool of Nursing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Lin XiaoSchool of Nursing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Xinchen NieDepartment of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Zhijian WangDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Yuanyuan LuoSchool of Nursing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Lili Zhang *School of Nursing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. zhanglili_gz@126.com.
Yawei Liu *School of Nursing, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. liuyawei_smu@126.com.

Funding

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 72004088
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCancer-related depression is a well-documented condition that significantly impacts long-term quality of life. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophin essential for neurogenesis and neuronal plasticity, has been implicated in various neuropsychological disorders including depression associated with cancer. Cytokines, on the other hand, play a crucial role in regulating depression, potentially by influencing BDNF expression. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), a key immune regulator within the tumor microenvironment, has been found to elevate BDNF levels, establishing a link between peripheral immune responses and depression. The study aims to investigate the correlation of TGF-β and BDNF in cancer-related depression.

methodsThis study involved a cohort of 153 gynecological patients, including 61 patients with gynecological cancer and 92 patients without cancer. Depression levels were assessed using the subscale of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D), and TGF-β and BDNF plasma levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

resultsThe study revealed elevated plasma TGF-β levels in patients with cancer (32.24 ± 22.93 ng/ml) compared to those without cancer (25.24 ± 19.72 ng/ml) (P = 0.046). Additionally, reduced levels of BDNF were observed in patients presenting depression symptoms (44.96 ± 41.06 pg/ml) compared to those without depression (133.5 ± 176.7 pg/ml) (P = 0.036). Importantly, a significant correlation between TGF-β and BDNF was found in patients without cancer but with depression (correlation coefficient = 0.893, **P < 0.01). Interestingly, cancer appeared to influence the association between TGF-β and BDNF in patients with depression, as evidenced by a significant difference in the correlation of TGF-β and BDNF between cancer and non-cancer groups (P = 0.041).

conclusionsThese findings underscore the active involvement of TGF-β and BDNF crosstalk in the context of cancer-related depression.

Indexed as

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic FactorDepressionTransforming Growth Factor betaAdultAgedCase-Control StudiesCross-Sectional StudiesEnzyme-Linked Immunosorbent AssayFemaleGenital Neoplasms, FemaleHumansMiddle AgedPsychiatric Status Rating ScalesQuality of LifeBDNF protein, humanBrain-Derived Neurotrophic FactorTransforming Growth Factor betaBDNFCancerDepressionTGF-β

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.