Mood alteration and heart rate variability in patients with cancer on treatment.

Abstract

In this article, Deng and Song showed compelling evidence on the connection between heart rate variability (HRV) alterations and cancer in 127 cancer patients compared with healthy reference individuals, highlighting autonomic nervous system dysfunction as a significant physiological manifestation in cancer patients. We discussed that the reduced HRV may be associated with cancer treatments, e.g., operation, chemotherapy and pain control and psychological response such as depression and anxiety related to the affected cancer. A management such as medicine to mood disturbances related to cancer has been shown a benefit to improve HRV in cancer patients.