Sleep disturbance, cytokines, and fatigue in women with ovarian cancer

► We examined relationships at two time points between sleep, fatigue, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in ovarian cancer patients. ► Higher levels of IL-6 were associated with greater sleep disturbance at pre-surgery and one year post diagnosis. ► The association between IL-6 and fatigue at pre-surgery was no longer significant when controlling for sleep. ► Changes in sleep over time were associated with percent change in IL-6 from pre-surgery to one year.