Re: journalistic cancers?-Stress Effect on Cancer Reply

[RADPROJECT <RADPROJECT@aol.com>]

Mike:
There is a growing body of research that stress is a risk factor for cancers
of various kinds due to effects on the immune system or various other
mechanisms. About 10 years ago I recall the evidence of this effect was even
used in a  letter from the Tobacco Institute to an epidemiology journal
criticizing some then recent research on the effects of smoking on health. The
Tobacco Institute spokesperson claimed [after citing numerous references to
the scientific literature about the evidence of stress effects on cancer] that
it wasn't second hand smoke that was causing the excess cancer seen in  family
members of smokers but the stress caused by worrry about smoking by non-
smoking family members or the henpecking by non-smokers on the smokers
themselves!! 

The point is there is growing research on the role of stress on cancer which
is nevertheless supported by some decent research. For many risk factors, once
the quantitative relationship between stress and cancer (or other health
effects) are clearly isolated, it is likely that worry about a risk factor
will far exceed the actual detriment of the risk factor about which
individuals are worrying.

Stewart Farber, MSPH
Consulting Scientist
Public Health Sciences
(401) 727-4947