Dr Manish Singhal - The best Cancer Specialist in Delhi
Can Chronic Stress Increase Your Risk of Cancer

Let’s admit it—stress has become an inevitable part of our lives, especially in this age of the internet. Apart from our personal causes of stress, there are 24/7 news cycles, global causes like political conflict and war, pandemics, and the ups and downs of share markets, to name a few.
While a little stress is nothing to worry about, prolonged and chronic stress causes serious impacts on mental and physical health, sometimes, it may lead to serious illness, like cancer. At CCI, our cancer doctor in Noida has also noticed if someone already has cancer, stress may make it worse.
Let’s dig deeper to understand the connection between stress and cancer –
Impacts of Stress on Our Bodies
Now, it is recognized that emotional stress plays a major risk factor for heart disease – the leading cause of death in the country. Stress has a direct impact on other health issues such as high blood pressure, colitis, asthma, ulcers, and pain syndromes like migraine, severe headache and backache.
The direct or indirect impact of stress on cancer is yet ‘not clear’. However, the reduction of stress may increase the chance of improving quality of life, fast recovery from cancer and more active participation in the total treatment procedure.
A brain cancer doctor in Noida would always suggest their patients remain stress-free to accelerate the treatment.
Among acute stress and chronic stress, the latter causes the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline for extended periods, leading to certain health issues, like –
Lower Immunity: Weak immunity systems make one more susceptible to diseases and infections.
Hormonal Imbalance: Stress can cause hormonal imbalance, potentially contributing to cancer risk.
Inflammation: Chronic stress may induce prolonged inflammation, which increases the risk of cancer.
Unhealthy Coping Mechanism: Our cancer doctor in Delhi at CCI often deals with cases where stress leads to unhealthy habits like smoking, substance abuse and poor diet, which increase the risk of cancer.
Is There Any Direct Relation Between Stress and Cancer?
While some studies find connections between chronic stress and cancer risk, no direct correlation has been established yet. However, chronic stress can create a favourable environment for cancer development.
Declining Immunity: Once someone is stressed, their body reduces the ability to fight against precancerous or cancerous cells.
Compromised Biological Pathways: Cancer is caused by abnormal angiogenesis (forming new blood vessels) and metastasis. Chronic stress often accelerates these unhealthy biological processes.
Lifestyle Risk Factors: Negative lifestyle practices such as smoking, alcohol consumption, no physical activities or overeating can influence the cancer risk.
An experienced oncologist in Noida can guide you in the right way to reduce the chance of having cancer.
Stress Management for Reducing Health Risks
While everyone may experience stress at some time in life, everyone reacts to it differently. Therefore, people may react differently to different stress-relieving activities. Here are some effective ways of stress management –
Embracing a Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce the chance of getting stress. Try to –
Follow a balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruits and nutrition
Exercise regularly to control your stress hormones and keep yourself fit
Appy Stress Management techniques
For chronic stress, apply some techniques, such as –
Practice yoga, meditation and deep breathing
Get involved in some hobbies or activities for relaxation and joy
Restrict Unhealthy Coping Mechanism
Avoid substance abuse, excessive alcohol, smoking and junk food
Seek Professional Help
For those suffering from prolonged stress, seeking professional help like counselling and therapies would be highly effective.
If you are someone suffering from cancer and stress at the same time, you can consult with your cancer doctor in Noida to resolve your cancer or stress-related concerns.
Can Stress Management Prevent Cancer?
While some research shows it does, others show there is no guaranteed way to prevent cancer through stress management. However, reducing stress can improve your overall health and reduce the potential risk of cancer risks.
Final Words
Regardless of its precise role in cancer, one should always take every possible step to manage their stress. If someone suspects any symptoms of cancer, particularly a brain tumour, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with a good brain cancer doctor in Noida.
For comprehensive cancer care, you can consider visiting Dr Manish Singhal, the best oncologist in Delhi NCR and its surroundings. With accurate diagnosis to personalized treatment options, the doctor along with his multidisciplinary team offers the best oncology treatment for their patients.