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Do stressful life experiences
increase the risk of relapse of breast cancer?
Outline
Studies examining the relationship
between stressful life experiences and the onset and recurrence
of cancer have yielded contradictory results. Yet among women
with breast cancer there are marked differences in survival
between those with apparently similar tumours, which are insufficiently
explained by differences in biological prognostic factors. In
a case control study we have shown that stressful life experiences
significantly increase the risk of first relapse of operable
breast cancer.
The effect of stressful life experiences
on relapse of breast cancer is being examined currently in
a prospective study of 215 women with operable disease. Participants
are a consecutive series of women with a primary operable
tumour treated with either mastectomy or lumpectomy, axillary
clearance and radiotherapy, both followed by adjuvant systemic
therapy as indicated by biological risk factors. Adverse life
events and difficulties experienced by the women are being
recorded for the time period from 12 months before diagnosis
to 60 months after diagnosis. Data are being collected using
the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule and interviews are
carried out shortly after diagnosis and approximately every
18 months thereafter. It is hypothesised that experiencing
one or more severe life experiences will increase the risk
of recurrence.
Duration of Study
1991-2000
Main Researcher
Jill Graham
Publications
Ramirez AJ, Craig TKJ,
WatsonJP, Fentiman IS, North WRS, Rubens RD.
Stress and relapse of breast cancer. BMJ 1989; 298:
291-293.
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