The Molecular Fingerprint of Psychological Resilience

Purpose and goal

We are investigating whether the patients degree of psychological resilience, at the time of cancer diagnosis, can be traced in molecular variables. This could open up for additional and completely new treatment methods for cancer patients. The project is part of the well-established SCAN-B program, a prospective study in which all women diagnosed with breast cancer in the southern Healthcare region are offered to participate. The project included 1040 patients, which is more than expected and blood samples from the patients are now being analyzed with advanced bioinformatics.

Expected results and effects

When patients with low psychological resilience can be identified at the time of cancer diagnosis, it would open up for entirely new treatment methods, ie it would be possible to supplement conventional chemo- and radiation therapy and biological drugs with a new strategy for medical and psychological intervention, to achieve improved survival and quality of life. The advanced analyzes are ongoing but as the work is complex and there are large amounts of data to process, we do not yet have final results to report.

Planned approach and implementation

The initial recruitment rate was slightly lower than expected and an early decision was made in the project to extend the time for inclusion of patients. The original timeline has therefore not been followed, while the revised timeline is well followed. Inclusion of patients was closed 2019-12-31 with a one-year follow-up that lasts until all patients have been on their follow-up visit Q1 2021. The collaboration between the different expert areas has worked very well as well as the collaboration with the different hospitals.