most stress not related to (breast) cancer risk (study)

We tend to try to look for causes (I sometimes think so that we can feel as though we have some control over things)--here's one sign that normal levels of stress are not something that makes cancer more likely.

What this study found was that there wasn't a correlation between getting breast cancer and most life stresses. They found an association only with the death of a spouse (77% increase in risk) or relative (37%) or friend (33%).

This is a meta-analysis of other studies to see why results seem inconsistent. Stress can affect immune systems, so they assumed a connection, but apparently it has to be large and prolonged--and perhaps include grief.

So, it's not likely that simply a busy lifestyle does it--as long as that busy lifestyle includes taking care of ourselves.




SOURCE: International Journal of Cancer, December 20, 2003.



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Thanks for posting this! I keep hearing that stress contributes to cervical cancer yet I can't find any unusual stress in my life prior to getting cervical cancer. I have a pretty easy life with little stress so I couldn't ever figure how stress contributed to my cancer. Perhaps it didn't!

Hugs,
Janie

Well Put Trish..

"We tend to try to look for causes (I sometimes think so that we can feel as though we have some control over things)"

I went thru the death of my mom while I used a controversial method to cure my endo cancer..extremely emotionally painful. And then I moved my apartment out on my own. And then I had to do a lot of work on my mom's house. And my family had no clue that I had cancer and rushed me thru the process.

I was worried that the stress would get me.

But.. I still reversed the cancer. Fortunately I was on megadoses of progestins. They say that progesterone can get used up during stress, but I had to hope that my progestin megadoses would overcome that.

I've thought back on my life and what I may have done wrong that caused my health problems. My problem was considered hormonal, but even my doctor will admit that all is not known. Of course I've considered stress and dont rule it out, but now I tend to blame my old dietary patterns more.. especially coffee and alcohol.