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Unveiling the Hidden Beat: Heart Rate Variability and the Vagus Nerve as an Emerging Biomarker in Breast Cancer Management
Human Missions to Mars Using the Starship
Scientific Productivity of the Internet of Things (IoT) in 2011-2025: A Bibliometric Analysis
Microgravity Employment in Archaeology – Available Experience and Future Perspectives
Unraveling Cognitive Aging: A Comprehensive Narrative Review of the Seattle Longitudinal Study and Recent Breakthroughs
Barriers and Enablers to the Adoption of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) in Sub-Saharan Africa Health Financing Decisions Systematic Review
Engineered Escherichia coli Strains as Therapeutic Agents in Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)-Mediated Glioblastoma Treatment: A Systematic Review of Mechanisms, Efficacy and Challenges
Research Article
Unveiling the Hidden Beat: Heart Rate Variability and the Vagus Nerve as an Emerging Biomarker in Breast Cancer Management
Heart rate variability (HRV), a non-invasive measure of autonomic nervous system (ANS) function reflecting vagus nerve activity, is a promising biomarker in breast cancer (BC) management. This PRISMA-guided systematic review evaluates HRV electrophysiologic data from 5-minute vs. 24-hour ECG recordings in BC diagnosis and therapy follow-up, emphasizing the vagus nerve’s role in inflammation and tumor progression. Completing a search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase (2009 - 2025), 16 studies (n = 3,412 participants) were included. Lower HRV metrics (e.g., SDNN < 50 ms, RMSSD < 20 ms predicted relapse) correlated with advanced BC stages, elevated carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and poorer prognosis (HR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.48 - 0.79). Chemotherapy-induced HRV reductions (e.g., SDNN decrease by 20%) predicted cardiotoxicity, while vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) improved HRV and reduced inflammation. HRV showed diagnostic sensitivity up to 80% with biomarkers. Additionally, meta-analysis was precluded due to significant methodological heterogeneity across studies. A narrative synthesis was conducted due to this heterogeneity; meta-analysis was not feasible due to inconsistent HRV protocols and outcome measures. HRV and vagal interventions hold transformative potential, necessitating standardized protocols and larger studies.
