Could there be a link between stress and cancer?

Stress has a number of ill effects on your body. Right from leading to high blood pressure to causing depression. But if you though that it could lead to cancer as well, you can breathe easy. According to a new study stressful events are not associated with cancer. Especially those who from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Performed at the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), the study also also showed no strong evidence of associations even among select groups of the population.

The general public may have a perception that stress contributes to cancer occurrence, said corresponding author Jaimie L. Gradus, assistant professor of psychiatry and epidemiology.

This study, however, provided no evidence that a severe chronic stress disorder such as PTSD is associated with cancer incidence, he added.

According to the researchers, the large sample and long study period allowed them to examine associations that have not been studied previously as they were able to look at rare cancer outcomes and associations among important subgroups. How may also like to read about how stress affects your body

Researchers compared the rate of various cancer diagnoses among people with PTSD with the standardised cancer rate from the general population in the same time period.

The association between stress and cancer has been discussed in scientific literature for more than 70 years.

Despite plausible theories that would support this association, findings from clinical research have been mixed.

The paper appeared in the European Journal of Epidemiology.

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Source: Agencies

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