Scientists at the University Medical Center Groningen have discovered that stress and other psychosocial factors do not increase the risk of cancer.
Medianews.az reports that the results of the study were published in the journal "Cancer".
It was reported that the study used data from an international consortium investigating whether psychological and social factors are associated with cancer.
The scientists analyzed data from 421,799 people evaluated on various psychosocial indicators. These include levels of social support, family status, depression, anxiety tendencies (neuroticism), and general psychological stress.
The analyses showed that none of these factors were generally associated with an increased risk of cancer. No association was found even with the most common types of cancer, including breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers.
Some statistical associations were initially observed in lung cancer patients—those who had lost loved ones or had low levels of social support. However, after accounting for known risk factors, mainly smoking and family history, most of these associations did not hold true.
According to the scientists, the results do not support the widespread belief that poor mental health or stress directly increases cancer risk. The researchers note that weak links observed between stress and cancer in some studies are often explained by correlated lifestyle factors—such as smoking, alcohol consumption, or other behavioral habits—that can actually increase disease risk./oxu.az