Psychological distress is involved in CRCI in breast cancer survivors via mediating cytokine levels.

Breast cancer patients with psychological distress displayed poor cognitive function, poor memory, and inferior quality of life, which was accompanied by higher cytokine levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-4. This study demonstrated IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-4 as potential pathways to CRCI in response to ongoing psychological distress, which provided evidence for the involvement of psychological distress in CRCI in breast cancer survivors.