Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 2, 2026

Evaluating the Effect of SASP Factors on the Proliferation of Cancer Cells Using a Comparative Analysis of Three Distinct Methodologies
Published on: September 19, 2025
Psychological Stress and Cellular Aging in Cancer: A Meta-Analysis
Joanna Kruk1, Basil Hassan Aboul-Enein2, Joshua Bernstein3
1Faculty of Physical Culture and Health, University of Szczecin, Piastów 40b/6, 71-004 Szczecin, Poland.
Background:
Epidemiological evidence continues to accumulate on the effect of psychosocial and behavioral factors in relation to cancer risk, progression, and mortality.
Material And Methods:
This article presents the current evidence on the relationship between psychological stress and the risk of cancer and cellular aging process. Ten databases were searched to identify publications up to September 2019. References from retrieved articles were also reviewed. We included nine review papers and 26 cohort or case-control studies based on inclusion/exclusion criteria.
Results:
Results of previously published review articles did not show consistent evidence for the association between cancer risk and psychological stress, while previous evidence is stronger regarding the role of chronic psychological stress on cancer growth and metastasis and aging. In seven observational studies, severe life events, anxiety, depression, insufficient social support perception, or avoiding coping strategy were significantly associated with breast cancer risk. For other specific types of cancer, 11 studies reported increased risk factors for stressful life events, and two others found increased mortality or a decline in treatment adherence.
Conclusions:
Recent epidemiological evidence generally suggests psychosocial factors may be considered risk factors for specific types of cancer and play a key role in the cellular aging process. Understanding molecular mechanisms of the stress interaction is important in cancer management and prevention. The psychological stressors should be considered when developing or evaluating change in psychosocial practice.
More Related Videos
13:59A Quantitative Measurement of Reactive Oxygen Species and Senescence-associated Secretory Phenotype in Normal Human Fibroblasts During Oncogene-induced Senescence
Published on: August 12, 2018
08:56Simultaneous Imaging and Flow-Cytometry-based Detection of Multiple Fluorescent Senescence Markers in Therapy-Induced Senescent Cancer Cells
Published on: July 12, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer
Aging
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
Replicative Cell Senescence
Mitochondria
Psychological Responses to Stress