Abstract
Depression and anxiety are thought to increase a person's risk of developing cancer, but research results have been inconclusive, according to a Wiley CANCER News Alert. In an analysis of multiple studies from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Norway and Canada, investigators found that depression and anxiety are not linked to higher risks for most types of cancer among this population. The analysis was published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer‐reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. Experts have suspected that depression and anxiety may increase cancer risk by affecting a person's health‐related behaviors or by having biological effects on the body that support cancer development. Researchers found no associations between depression or anxiety, and overall, breast, prostate, colorectal and alcohol‐related cancers during a follow‐up of up to 26 years. The presence of depression or anxiety was linked with a 6% higher risk of developing lung cancer and smoking‐related cancers, but this risk was substantially reduced after adjusting for other cancer‐related risk factors including smoking, alcohol use and body mass index. Therefore, this analysis supports the importance of addressing tobacco smoking and other unhealthy behaviors, including those that may develop as a result of anxiety or depression, the news release indicated.
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