Correlates of Age at Initial Diagnosis of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Exercise, ASA & Emotional Distress

Mark W. Ketterer, Emily A. Ketterer, Bernd Barthel, Amr Hanbali, Phillip Kuriakose, Yue Guo, Walter Knysz

Consultation/Liaison Psychiatry & Josephine Ford Cancer Center Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA.

DOI: 10.4236/ojmp.2012.12002                

Abstract

Objective: No studies of either the cross-sectional or prospective association of behavioral lifestyle characteristics and the onset of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) exist. Methods: Multiple interview or questionnaire measures of emotional distress and social support, as well as personality characteristics, exercise, sleep quality, aspirin or lipid-lowering medication use, smoking status and history, educational history and farming/pesticide exposure were tested as correlates of age at initial diagnosis of CLL (AAID-CLL) in 183 patients recruited from the electronic records of Henry Ford Hospital or internet support sites. Results: Aspirin use, having always been “Fit” and living alone were positively associated with AAID. Negative associations were observed for farming/pesticide exposure, years of education, being married, self description as a “Lone Wolf” or “Worrier”, taking “nerve” or “sleeping” pills, awakenings per night, Packyears of Smoking and the Interpersonal Sensitivity, Depression, Anxiety, Hostility and Paranoia scales of the Symptom Checklist 90 - Revised, as well as the AIAI (anger), Depression and Anxiety scales of the Spouse/Friend Ketterer Stress Symptom Frequency Checklist. Conclusions: Aspirin use and exercise may exert a modifiable delaying influence in the onset of CLL. Conversely, emotional distress and smoking may hasten its onset. Prospective, and interventional, tests of these findings are needed.

Keywords

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia; Stress; Aspirin

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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