Psychoneuroimmunology and Cancer
Psychoneuroimmunology is the branch of medicine that is responsible for studying the psychophysiological self-regulation of the individual.
That is, the mechanisms of interaction and communication between the mind and the three systems responsible for maintaining the homeostasis of the organism: the nervous system, the immune system and the endocrine system.
This communication uses a biochemical language through different substances such as hormones, neurotransmitters and immunological messengers (cytokines).
In this sense, Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is providing us with the physiological evidence about how the connection between these three systems is established and the mechanism explaining how the emotional state can influence the physiology of our body, altering its balance and leading it to the disease.
Poor adaptation to sustained stress (distress), produces a decrease in the immunity of the individual. Correct immunity is essential to control the progression of tumor disease.
The knowledge of this relationship allows us to detect those stressful events that could be experienced some time before the appearance of the tumor. Influencing the psychological and emotional factors that could contribute to a decrease in immunological activity and try to correct them, is another factor to consider in integrative oncology.
Psychoneuroimmunology states our beliefs and attitudes can influence our body, as evidenced by the decrease in immune function in chronic stress and the importance of proper immune function in the control of tumor disease. It is possible restore optimal functioning through specific programs that integrate psychological therapies with medical treatment that help reduce stress levels.
Ask for opinion and find an appropriate solution to your problem
ONLINE Doctor Consultation
Articles related to Psychoneuroimmunology
Resveratrol and cancer
Numerous studies on resveratrol have shown great potential in the treatment of different types of cancer, due to its ability to affect several molecular pathways. Resveratrol has proven the ability to eliminate tumor stem cells, which are the main inducers of tumor growth.
Ketogenic diet and cancer. Allowed foods
The ketogenic diet consists of drastically decreasing carbohydrates in the diet, as these are the source of glucose. Instead they are replaced with large amounts of healthy fats. With not enough glucose available to use as an energy source in the body, the body begins to form ketone bodies from fats. Ketone bodies can be used by healthy cells for energy, but not by tumor cells.
Cúrcumin and Breast Cancer
Curcumin has shown antitumor effects in breast cancer. HER2 positive. It can induce cell death in breast cancer cells by inducing changes in the cell membrane potential. Cancer stem cells are one of the main causes of cancer recurrence after treatment. Curcumin has shown its ability to kill cancer stem cells, in addition to increasing the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Quercetin and Cancer
Quercetin is a type of flavonoid compound that comes from nature and is widely found in our diet. Quercetin can exert antitumor effects by altering cell cycle progression, inhibiting cell proliferation, stimulating apoptosis or cell death, inhibiting the progression of angiogenesis or formation of new blood vessels that feed the tumor and metastases.
Lycopene and Cancer
The anticancer effects of lycopene involve modulation of pathways that slow tumor growth and inhibit tumor progression. This article aims to evaluate the benefits of lycopene supplementation in the prevention and treatment of cancer based on the results of scientific studies.
Tumor Markers for Cancer
In cancer treatment, accurate follow-up is critical to improve treatment outcomes and patient survival. In this sense, tumor markers are a valuable tool in cancer diagnosis and monitoring. They allow us to quantify tumor activity and response to treatment long before performing control imaging tests (CT, PET, CT, MRI).