World Cancer Day: How Stress Aids Cancer – The Relation And How to Manage it, Doctor Answers!

You must have heard how stress is the major source of all health problems in modern life. Here, we ask a doctor to explain its role in causing cancer. Read on.

World Cancer Day 2023: Stress has long been considered one of the risk factors for various health problems, including cancer. It is not acute but chronic stress leads to multiple health issues, especially along with environmental pollution, pesticides, unhealthy eating habits, irregular lifestyle, inadequate sleep, and bad habits like excess alcohol, cigarette, tobacco chewing, etc. Here are a few ways by which stress can lead to cancer:

1. Stress-induced altered Immune system: While the exact connection between stress and cancer is not fully understood, one possible link between stress and cancer is through the immune system. Chronic stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline can suppress the immune system and reduce its ability to fight cancer.
2. Stress leading to Unhealthy lifestyle habits: People who are stressed often have a physical and psychological impact and turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as overeating, insomnia, smoking, and drinking alcohol- factors responsible for developing cancer. Also, stress can lead to poor sleep, increasing the risk of developing cancer.

HOW STRESS STOPS DNA’S REPAIR MECHANISM

Stress can affect the body’s ability to normally repair DNA damage, which is important in preventing cancer. Though we know stress is a part of our life, it is imperative we learn ways to manage it and overcome it. We can do that by increasing our immunity with the help of regular exercise, a balanced healthy diet, adequate sleep, yoga, meditation, and venting out stress with friends, family members, or health professionals.

On world cancer day which is on February 4, let’s take a pledge to adopt a healthy lifestyle, overcome chronic stress, and break the cycle of increasing cancers. Despite this, if any signs of cancer like any unusual lumps in the body, or experiencing excess weight loss, do not take stress but talk about it to your friends, family members, or health care professionals. Take early care because early detection can completely cure cancers with present multimodalities of investigations and treatments.

–– inputs by Dr. Bhavna Mehta, Senior consultant, HOD, Histoanatomic pathology department, Neuberg Supratech reference Laboratory