Stress, Diurnal Cortisol, and Breast Cancer Survival

The purpose of this study is to investigate stress and tonic activation of diurnal cortisol in aging metastatic breast cancer patients; feedback inhibition & activation of cortisol; and stress-induced phasic activation of cortisol.

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of recurrent or metastatic breast cancer.
• Karnofsky of 70% or greater.
• Proficient enough in English to be able to take questionnaires and participate in the required tasks.
• Living within the Greater Bay Area.
• Age 35 or older .

Exclusion criteria

• Positive supraclavicular lymph nodes as the only metastatic lesion at the time of initial diagnosis.
• Active cancers within the past 10 years other than breast cancer, basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas of the skin, or in situ cancer of the cervix.
• Any other serious medical condition that will effect short term survival
• History of major psychiatric illness for which patient was hospitalized or medicated, with the exception of depression or anxiety
• A diagnosis of diabetes.