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Vital exhaustion and risk for cancer

A prospective cohort study on the association between depressive feelings, fatigue, and risk for cancer

  1. Corinna Bergelt Ph.D.1,
  2. Jane Christensen M.Sc.1,
  3. Eva Prescott D.M.Sc., Ph.D.2,3,
  4. Morten Grønbæk D.M.Sc., Ph.D.3,4,
  5. Uwe Koch M.D., Ph.D.5,
  6. Christoffer Johansen D.M.Sc., Ph.D.1,†,*

Article first published online: 8 AUG 2005

DOI: 10.1002/cncr.21302

Issue

Cancer

Cancer

Volume 104, Issue 6, pages 1288–1295, 15 September 2005

Additional Information

How to Cite

Bergelt, C., Christensen, J., Prescott, E., Grønbæk, M., Koch, U. and Johansen, C. (2005), Vital exhaustion and risk for cancer. Cancer, 104: 1288–1295. doi: 10.1002/cncr.21302

Author Information

  1. 1

    Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Copenhagen, Denmark

  2. 2

    Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

  3. 3

    The Copenhagen City Heart Study, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

  4. 4

    National Institute of Public Health, Copenhagen, Denmark

  5. 5

    Institute of Medical Psychology, University Clinic Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

  1. †

    Fax: (011) 45-35-25-77-31

*Danish Cancer Society, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Strandboulevarden 49, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 31 AUG 2005
  2. Article first published online: 8 AUG 2005
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 14 APR 2005
  4. Manuscript Revised: 6 APR 2005
  5. Manuscript Received: 18 NOV 2004

Funded by

  • International Union Against Cancer/American Cancer Society International Fellowship for Beginning Investigators
  • Institute of Medical Psychology of the University Clinic Hamburg
  • Danish Cancer Society
  • Danish Heart Foundation

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Keywords:

  • cancer;
  • depression;
  • fatigue;
  • epidemiology

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Vital exhaustion, defined as feelings of depression and fatigue, has previously been investigated mainly as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The authors investigated the association between depressive feelings and fatigue as covered by the concept of vital exhaustion and the risk for cancer.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 8527 persons aged 21–94 who had been examined in 1991–1994 within the Copenhagen City Heart Study. For the analysis, the sample was divided into quartiles on the basis of vital exhaustion scores. Cancer cases were ascertained by linkage to the Danish Cancer Registry. The mean length of follow-up was 8.6 years. Regression analyses for etiology-based groups of cancer sites were conducted on the basis of the Cox proportional hazards model, with adjustment for a number of confounding variables.

RESULTS

Cancer was diagnosed in 976 persons (12%) during follow-up. In comparison to those with the lowest scores, persons with the highest vital exhaustion scores had a significantly decreased risk for developing cancer at all sites (hazard ratio [HR], 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI}, 0.66–0.96), smoking-related cancers (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.46–0.90), and virus and immune-related cancers (HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.26–0.99). No significant change in risk was found for cancers related to alcohol consumption or hormones.

CONCLUSIONS

The results did not support the hypothesis that symptoms of fatigue and depression, as ascertained in the vital exhaustion index, increased the risk for cancer. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.

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