Can stress cause cancer? One new study says it can

Stress can raise your risk of five types of cancer , a study suggests.

If you're working in a stressful job it's not just your blood pressure at risk.

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It may leave your body at risk of cancer, groundbreaking research says.

Working in a stressful job for 15 years increases the risk of lung, colon, rectal and stomach cancer - along with non-Hodgkin lymphoma that develops in the vessels and glands.

But no such link was found in those who had suffered less than 15 years of working in a stressful job.

Job insecurity, high work load, time pressures should be considered a public health issue, experts now argue.

Although stress can cause a number of physical health problems, previous research on the subject suggesting it can cause cancer is weak.

Some studies have suggested a link between various psychological factors and an increased risk of developing cancer, but others have not.

So to determine the link, experts at Quebec University measured the prevalence of cancer in men with work-related stress.

However, high work load and time pressure weren't the only two factors of stress mentioned by participants.

Job insecurity, financial problems and dealing with customers were also listed by some of the 3,000 adults diagnosed with cancer.

Others included challenging or dangerous work conditions, employee supervision, interpersonal conflict and a difficult commute.

Subjects described in detail each job held during the lifetime - including the occurrence of stress and its cause.

Significant links to stomach, lung, colon, rectal cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma were found, the study published in Preventative Medicine said.

These were observed in men who had been exposed to just 15 years of work-related stress.

But the links were not found in those who had been under high levels of pressure for less than 15 years.

The researchers believe people under stress may start smoking, overeating or drinking alcohol. These are known risk factors for cancer.

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