Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40437526›Full record

Trial reportBMC women's health2025

A pilot investigation of the impact of acute mental and physical fatigue exposure on inflammatory cytokines and state fatigue level in breast cancer survivors.

Ali A Weinstein, Krish Seth, Shana Gordy, Kashaf Jabbar, Nylab Noori, Aybike Birerdinc, Ancha Baranova, Patrice Winter, Lynn H Gerber

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC women's health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Anti-tumor effects and immuno-inflammatory-metabolic mechanisms of Buzhong Yiqi Granules in improving cancer-related fatigue in lung cancer.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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

9 authors.

Ali A WeinsteinDepartment of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA. aweinst2@gmu.edu.
Krish SethDepartment of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
Shana GordyDepartment of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
Kashaf JabbarDepartment of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
Nylab NooriDepartment of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
Aybike BirerdincSchool of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
Ancha BaranovaSchool of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
Patrice WinterDepartment of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
Lynn H GerberCollege of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.

Funding

PNC Charitable Trust 112881
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study aims to analyze the changes in inflammatory cytokines and state fatigue after exposure to a mental or physical fatiguing activity in breast cancer survivors (BCS).

methodsA total of 46 BCS women (age: 58.9 ± 9.1) were recruited for this study and randomly assigned to one of three groups: exposure to physical fatigue (n = 16), mental fatigue (n = 15), or control (n = 15). Participants exposed to physical fatigue performed a 6-minute walk/run test. Participants exposed to mental fatigue performed a version of a dual 2-back task on a computer. Participants in the control group watched a video for 6 min. Clinically significant fatigue was defined by the FACIT-F. Analytes in serum were profiled using the Bio-Plex 200 Suspension Array System, specifically IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, eotaxin, TNF-α, TGF-β1, and VEGF.

resultsChanges in inflammatory factors in response to the assigned fatigue-inducing tasks were mainly not statistically significant. The presence of clinically significant fatigue reported at baseline was, however, related to reactions to fatigue-inducing stimuli. Levels of TGF-β and eotaxin were consistently altered in reactions to fatigue-inducing tasks, particularly in those with clinical fatigue.

conclusionsClinically significant fatigue is related to increased inflammatory reactions to mentally or physically fatiguing tasks, highlighting the consistent impact that fatigue has across various challenges of daily activities. Acute fatigue challenges, the kind that BCS would be exposed to in everyday circumstances, does increase inflammatory responses, and those with clinically significant levels of fatigue at baseline are more likely to show these effects.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsCancer SurvivorsCytokinesFatigueMental FatigueSurvivorsAgedFemaleHumansInflammationMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsCytokinesBreast cancerCancer-related fatigueClinically significant fatigueInflammationReactivity

Identifiers

PMID40437526
PMCPMC12121098

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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 OpenQuestion graph.