New Delhi [India] October 25: Stress is part of our day-to-day lives, but poorly managed stress can cause various health problems. The awareness of stress leading to health problems has left people to wonder if stress can trigger cancer too.
Many studies have been carried out in this direction, and it is safe to say that the observations are debatable. What is important to know is that some clinical studies have reported that stress caused by various factors can become a contributing factor to the development of different types of cancer, including breast cancer.
In this article, we are trying to dissect the relationship between stress (acute and chronic) and breast cancer and understand if it could be one of the hidden causes of breast cancer.
The Impact of Stress on Breast Cancer: What Do Studies Say?
The well-established mechanism of how stress can contribute to cancer development involves chronic stress weakening the immune system, which makes the body prone to developing different types of cancer, such as breast cancer.
That said, some studies have reported that stress has no impact on breast cancer development. Also, a few more studies have observed that stress can increase the risk of recurrence in breast cancer patients and reduce the impact of the treatment on the disease.
The following are a few important studies and their observations on how stress impacts breast cancer:
A clinical study from 2022 identified both stress and stress-induced lifestyle as risk factors for breast cancer development.
In 2018, a review study was conducted wherein 52 breast cancer cases that occurred between the years 1966 and 2016 were analyzed to study the impact of stress on the diagnosis. Despite a good number of cases showing a positive connection between increased stress and breast cancer development, the overall results were concluded to be conflicting because some cases in this study showed no connection between stress and breast cancer.
Different studies from 2010 (Finland) and 2019 (Iran) have observed that stress caused by losses or deficits during childhood and adolescence can contribute to breast cancer development in a small percentage of women.
A UCLA animal study from 2010 reported that chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which is responsible for the body’s fight-or-flight response, can contribute to metastasis of breast cancer.
An Australian study from 2018 observed that there was no association between breast cancer and chronic or acute stressors.
How to Manage Stress & Reduce Breast Cancer Risk
Managing stress effectively can positively impact overall health and thereby reduce breast cancer risk. The following measures can help you manage your stress effectively and help you bring down your breast cancer risk:
1. Practicing Yoga: Practicing yoga increases endorphin levels, which is one of the key “feel-good” hormones. It also reduces the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Yoga can also have a positive impact on brain functions.
2. Practicing Meditation: Meditation also reduces cortisol levels, improves oxygen levels in the body, reduces blood pressure, and improves immune function. More importantly, meditation helps you manage stress effectively.
3. Eating Gut-Friendly Foods: Improving gut health is observed to reduce stress and improve mental health. To reduce stress, you may consider eating gut-friendly foods like fiber, nuts, pro-biotic foods, garlic, turmeric, etc.
4. Cultivating Hobbies: Hobbies can help you take your mind off things that are causing stress. Hobbies can reduce stress and positively impact mental health by reducing feel-good hormones—dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin.
5. Walking and Running: Walking and running reduce the levels of stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline and improve endorphin levels.
6. Maintaining Healthy Social Connections: Social connections provide a sense of belonging and help the brain release happy hormones that reduce stress.
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