The Role of Psychologic Stress in Cancer Initiation: Clinical Relevance and Potential Molecular Mechanisms
Marta Falcinelli, Premal H. Thaker, Susan K. Lutgendorf, Suzanne D. Conzen, Renée L. Flaherty and Melanie S. Flint
Marta Falcinelli
1School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Brighton, Centre for Stress and Age-related Diseases, Moulsecoomb, Brighton, United Kingdom.
ORCID record for Marta Falcinelli
Premal H. Thaker
2Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
Susan K. Lutgendorf
3Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
Suzanne D. Conzen
4Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
ORCID record for Suzanne D. Conzen
Renée L. Flaherty
5Division of Breast Cancer Research, The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom.
ORCID record for Renée L. Flaherty
Melanie S. Flint
ORCID record for Melanie S. Flint
For correspondence: M.Flint@brighton.ac.uk
DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-21-0684 Published October 2021
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The hypothesis that the physiologic response to psychologic stress influences the initiation of cancer is highly controversial. The link between initiating stressors, the psychologic stress response, and disease is plausible, considering that the stress response is associated with defined physiologic outcomes and molecular mechanisms. In light of this, we review the clinical relevance of psychologic stress on the risk of cancer, and we propose potential molecular pathways that may link the stress response to early stages of malignant cell transformation.
Cancer Res 2021;81:5131–40
Received March 2, 2021.
Accepted July 14, 2021.
Published first July 15, 2021.
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Cancer Res October 15 2021 (81) (20) 5131-5140; DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-21-0684
Clinical Perspectives
Authors' Disclosures
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