Stress May Raise Cervical Cancer Risk: Should We Worry?
In a society where we are all “stressed out,” we can add another entry to our worry list.
Stress may increase the risk of developing cervical cancer. A study published this month in “Annals of Behavioral Medicine,” found that women who felt more stressed had a poorer immune response to HPV, the virus that causes the inflammation that can lead to cervical cancer. Before losing sleep for a night, let’s look at the study. There is something we can do!”
But…but…but, my life is stressful!!!”
It is true that many stressors are beyond our control. Job changes happen. Relationships change. Illness occurs. Financial pressures abound in the current market. But, this study did not find a difference in the objective levels of stress in a woman’s life. The difference was in how stressed women “felt!”A study some time back in Sweden showed a similiar scenario with breast cancer. There was no difference in breast cancer based on objective measures of stress in women’s lives, but those who “felt” more stressed had an increased incidence.
Even if we can’t change our life situations, we can try to find them less stressful. Here are a few tips:
- Try to arrive everywhere you go ten minutes early
- Set limits, don’t be afraid to say no
- Play music that relaxes you and brings back pleasant memories
- Try yoga
- Go to sleep. Issues that seem insurmountable at night can often be solved in the light of day
- Declutter your life
- Try visualization. Imagine yourself beyond the current stressful event, in your ideal situation
Life is stressful enough, without worrying that it will raise our risk of cancer! For further information on cancer prevention, visit our web site, or read “Avoiding Cancer One Day At A Time“.
Posted by Lynne Eldridge, MD
Copyright 2008, Turtle Lake Publications
My niece is still suffering from side effects of a Cancer she had after suffering from bladder cancer.Thanks for such a useful post about cancer.