Stress and Cancer
July 3, 2014
By: Dr. Boukaram
Research linking stress and cancer is now being conducted by some of the largest oncology centres, and the number of studies on the subject is growing fast.[1] One such study published in Nature in 2011 showed that chronic “stress” can lead to changes in our chromosomes (our DNA), and that these changes can then be passed on hereditarily.[2] A report published in 2012 in Psychooncology called “Mind Matters In Cancer Survival” points to the significance of the mind when it comes to survival, especially the effects of the adrenaline and cortisol mechanisms on the spreading of cancer cells.[3] Certain adrenaline receptors or other neurotransmitters involved in the stress response have been found on cancer cells. Tests on animal models, reproducible on human beings*, show an activation of cancer cells via these stress mechanisms [4].
*We use these animal models due to the ethical and methodological limitations around performing such tests on humans.
This is not at all a reason to panic, because stress is nonetheless something essential and normal. It is not the causal factor for the illness, but is simply an indication for a biopsychosocial model of health.
These discoveries force us to ask ourselves whether, in our current practices, we are paying adequate attention, not only to medical treatments and the physical manifestations of tumours, but also to the person herself/himself, their emotional experience, their distress, their willingness to cultivate faith or hope, their need to participate in their treatment and to feel a sense of empowerment and control over their destiny. It is true that the quantitative studies are somewhat conflicting, but there are other qualitative studies in this area involving testimony from people who have “beaten” the medical statistics.
There seems to be a correlation between quality of life and quantity of life, but that does not at all mean that stress is responsible for cancer or that magical thinking works. It is even harmful to think that way, because it can lead to people blaming themselves and feeling guilty about their illness. Such thinking can also make people feel obligated to think positively all the time and to repress normal negative emotions such as anger. Instead, the idea here is to realize that psychological factors can interfere with healthy lifestyle habits and can lead people to make choices and engage in behaviours that increase their risk for cancer, such as smoking tobacco, consuming alcohol, nutritional deficiencies, physical inactivity, reluctance to consult a doctor, fear of classical medicine, etc. Psychological factors are also important when it comes to treatment. The mind-body connection has now been clearly established when it comes to side effects from treatments, which can be reduced by complementary therapies such as hypnosis, meditation, and yoga. These tools can also help to strengthen the biochemical profile and the immune system.
Once again, though, psychological factors are not an ultimate means of healing from cancer. They play a role in the optimization of medical treatments and have an impact on human behaviour.
Also, medicine is both an art and a science. We have, over the years, perhaps concentrated too much on the scientific side of issues, and we may have neglected the art dimension, which involves helping the individuals themselves by helping them to maintain homeostasis, and by supporting their own self-healing powers.
We have excellent medicine for treating certain conditions, but our methods of prevention and for maintaining quality of life still have much room for improvement. When it comes to cancer, we have excellent ways of detecting the disease once its presence has been identified. We are not paying enough attention, though, to the lifestyle choices and habits that can have an important impact. According to the World Health Organization, we could prevent 30% of cancers by changing certain behaviours.
[1]https://www.mdanderson.org/newsroom/cancer-newsline/cancer-newsline-topics/2011/cancer-newsline-can-stress-cause-cancer-.html [2]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21857681 [3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22438289 [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22558071This article was originally published September 12, 2012, in Dr. Boukaram’s blog.
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