Chronic Stress Can Promote Breast Cancer Development: Here's How

Chronic stress mechanism is conducive to breast cancer development and based on this evidence a new study sheds light on future clinical treatment for cancer. The findings of the study are published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Chinese researchers have revealed the mechanism of how chronic stress promotes breast cancer development, shedding light on future clinical treatment for cancer.

Cancer patients often suffer negative emotions such as anxiety, despair, and fear, which are risk factors facilitating tumor growth as well as promoting cancer progression. However, the specific mechanisms of how chronic stress affects cancer development remain unknown yet.

Using a drug screen that targeted LDHA, they found that Vitamin C reversed the chronic stress-induced cancer stem-like phenotype.

The study demonstrates the critical importance of psychological factors in promoting stem-like properties in breast cancer cells and provides a promising therapeutic approach for breast cancer, according to Liu Qiang, the lead researcher at the varsity.

"The LDHA-lowering agent Vitamin C can be a potential approach for combating stress-associated breast cancer," Qiang said, in the paper published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

His team has been engaged in the dynamic regulation of cancer stem cells research as well as the mechanism of psychosocial behavior affecting tumor development.

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Qiang noted that patients with breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and stomach cancer often have negative emotions, which in turn accelerates the development of their own tumors.

"It is necessary to monitor their chronic stress comprehensively by taking psychological assessments as well as conducting blood tests which include epinephrine levels," Qiang said.

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Source-IANS