TY - JOUR T1 - Psychological Response to Cancer: Role of 5-HTTLPR Genetic Polymorphism of Serotonin Transporter JF - Anticancer Research JO - Anticancer Res SP - 3823 LP - 3826 VL - 30 IS - 9 AU - GIULIA SCHILLANI AU - ELISABETTA MARTINIS AU - MARIA ANNA CAPOZZO AU - DANIEL ERA AU - TANIA CRISTANTE AU - GIORGIO MUSTACCHI AU - MARIA ANNA CONTE AU - MAURIZIO DE VANNA AU - LUIGI GRASSI AU - TULLIO GIRALDI Y1 - 2010/09/01 UR - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/30/9/3823.abstract N2 - Background: 5-HTTLPR genetic polymorphism of serotonin transporter (SERT) and stressful life events facilitate depression. The aim of this investigation was therefore to determine the correlations between SERT polymorphism and mental adjustement to cancer. Patients and Methods: Breast cancer patients early after surgery, and subjects with various advanced tumours were recruited, evaluated using the Mini Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and genotyped. Results: In early breast cancer patients (n=53), hopelessness-helplessness (HH) and anxious preoccupation (AP) significantly correlated with depression and anxiety; avoidance (AV) correlated with anxiety. Advanced cancer patients (n=73) displayed similar correlations, and a negative correlation of HADS depression with fighting spirit (FS) and AV. The stratification for 5-HTTLPR showed that early breast cancer carriers of the L/L variant displayed a significant correlation between HH and depression. Conclusion: Among early breast cancer patients, a specific set, characterized by their 5-HTTLPR variant, display differential correlations between HH and depression, with possible implications for treatment options. ER -