How stress promotes cancer progression

Stress is a condition of excessive worry that occurs when a person is under mental, physical or emotional pressure.

Dr. Nguyen Chi Thanh, Oncology Unit, Tam Anh General Clinic District 7, said that when stressed, the body produces many hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine. These substances can cause reactions that increase blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar levels. People with prolonged stress are often anxious, irritable, have difficulty relaxing, and are unable to concentrate. These changes have a negative impact on health, especially for people with cancer.

Weakened immune system: Prolonged stress can worsen health problems, leading to a weakened immune system. The immune system functions to protect the body from infection and disease. A weakened immune system creates opportunities for some types of cancer to develop and also contributes to worsening of disease symptoms.

Promotes unhealthy habits: Frequent stress makes many people susceptible to insomnia, staying up late, and tending to seek unhealthy activities and habits such as drinking alcohol and smoking. These habits increase the risk of many diseases, promoting more severe cancer symptoms.

Sleep disorders: Insomnia and prolonged lack of sleep affect the body’s ability to recover and regenerate, causing hormone disorders. This is one of the indirect factors contributing to the development (distant metastasis or recurrence) of cancer.

According to Dr. Thanh, when receiving the news of cancer, the patient may experience many emotional states such as anxiety, sadness, depression… The patient may have difficulty communicating and sharing. psychological disorders become more serious, gradually leading to stress. Therefore, people with cancer need to be supported and share their feelings with the treating doctor or psychologist to receive advice, palliative care and appropriate treatment, contributing to reducing stress.

Dr. Thanh advises relatives or caregivers to connect and share with the patient. Besides, patients should relax by reading books, listening to music, practicing yoga, walking, and eating adequate nutrients to reduce stress, improve quality of life and treatment effectiveness.