From what i understand, and the discussion we had with our oncologist, it can promote the growth and spread, but doesn't directly cause it, or there's no direct evidence to say stress causes cancer.

People under huge amounts of stress tend to have other detrimental habits, such as poor sleep, poor diet, poor exercise patterns and so on. Some people also drink a lot more alcohol when stressed. All of which can cause chronic inflammation and cell damage.

The UK isn't even remotely one of the most stressed out countries when it comes to work, yet has higher cancer rates than some of the countries near the top of that list. Places such as Japan, Korea etc have harsher working environments than here in the UK.

Maybe we are getting lazy or is because there is no work make us seem lazy ,how do we know what goes on behind closed doors ,what stresses us in UK differs to other countries, whose to blame , this discussion could never end, people have different ways of life ,what stresses us wouldn't bother a Chinese and other way round . I'm just saying the whole work scenario plays a part in stress which as your oncologist can promote the growth of cancer but can he prove it didn't start the cancer  

I can understand your frustration. Like most people in the uk we are feeling drained. Our work ethics have changed. When I started working years ago I was happy to go to work, enjoyed my job as a nurse but resented having to cover for people who continually took time off sick and knew they were out and about.

I changed careers and did a degree which took me to Japan. I spent 10 years working in a Japanese environment and loved it. So much respect for each other hard workers. Somedays I worked 14 hours a day but was happy knowing my colleagues were doing the same. Lots of trips with the team and lots of drinking parties when we got an early finish.

I feel we now live in a dog eat dog society. Having had bowel cancer and spending time in hospital i realised that the high dependancy ward was actually being run by bank and agency staff. I asked the agency staff why they didnt work full time for the nhs. They said the pay was better. I mentioned that if they took into account the 7vweeks holiday and pension the pay wouldnt be any different to nurses. So much on social media telling you to quit your job and work a couple of hours a day. Sorry for the rant here.

That's ultimately a question best directed at an oncologist. I have no idea what he can or can not disprove.

I tend to believe someone working in any given field, with years of experience, and medical experience over some quack site, youtube video or someone over the internet. I know that's not the cool approach nowadays as people seem to think watching a YT video for 5 mins trumps 5 years at medical school, but I'm old-fashioned that way. Works both ways. People can always search for information that will ultimately reinforce their own views on the matter, whether they are merited or not.

I agree your oncologist is probably right,it's just these days everything is done by bloody computers, nothing better to learn hands on then watching a websites,I agree with you ,yep your cool if you can use a computer,I hate them , they make you fat lazy incompetent and Down right ignorant, computer says no / yes ,,,ERM .that's why youth of today are way they are,again I ,. Do agree with you .

The short answer is NO! At least not directly. 

About 60% of cancer cases are completely unavoidable. The remainder are thought to be triggered by our physical environment including what we eat, drink, breathe, smoke, touch etc.

Indirectly, workplace stress can lead to us self-medicating with tobacco and/or alcohol. In combination these two act as multipliers having more impact than drinking or smoking have on their own. It can also make us depressed so much that we can't be bothered to eat healthily or take exercise. This leads to us get fatter and fatter - eventually becoming so obese that we are unable to exercise. Cancer just loves obesity - especially when combined with smoking and drinking booze. 

My Mam believed that cancer ran in her parent's families. As an annoying teenager, I pointed out that everyone in her family who had died of cancer (there were a lot of them) were all chain-smoking, obese, alcoholics who couldn't run to catch a bus (my actual wording would breach this forum's rules)! My Gran (Mam's Mam) was a skinny, almost teetotal, non-smoker who lived well into old age outliving all of her siblings and many of their kids. 

So eat, drink and be merry. Everything is fine in moderation - except smoking. 

Cheers 

Dave

Hi Dave,

Just wanted a light hearted debate about your theory. Yes, over indulgence in some aspects of life cause cancer in some people, but not everyone. In my family - my paternal grandad smoked like a chimney and died early from emphysema whilst gran, who never smoked or drank and was slim, died of lung cancer - passive smoking! Her daughter, my aunt, died from ovarian cancer - she never smoked, was slim and hardly drank. My maternal grandparents smoked like chimneys. Both died in their 90s, one from a stroke, the other from old age. Their only daughter, my mum, never smoked, hardly drank, was slim - died in her 70s from ovarian cancer. I myself have lived with melanoma for many years (sunbed use before we knew they were dangerous). I've never smoked, have a healthy BMI and used to drink moderately (now teetotal). Hubby is 10 years my senior, used to smoke heavily and has been a recovering alcoholic for 30 years - yet he's never ailed anything and is as fit as a butcher's dog! So no cancer from over indulgence in my family

As for stress - I agree that it doesn't cause cancer but I believe it doesn't help once we are fighting a cancer (or any serious health) diagnosis. I thrived on stress in my working life and was fine. However, since retiring and being stress free, my cancer returned and spread. Thankfully I've learned to deal with stress to try and minimise my health issues (including surgery induced pancreatitis which stress exacerbates). 

As you say, enjoy life but everything in moderation,

Angie

Well, as far as I am concerned, and although I'm not a doctor/oncologist,stress most definitely can cause cancer, but indirectly. I believe that the stress I was under, where I ended up having 6 months off work, was key to my smoking and drinking to excess, as well as comfort eating. If I walked a mile I was out of breath. I had a total mental  breakdown.

When I was off work for 6 months my employer asked me to attend telephone therapy (back in 2015/16). The therapist asked me to complete a drinking app which required me to enter the number of units I drank each week. One week, I hit 76 units (the recommended maximum is 14). I was 5'10", smoked 10 to 15 a day and I was drinking 76 units in a day! I was 17 stone 4lbs. I was also pre-diabetic.

After my colon op in Oct 2021, I dropped to 13st 12lbs. My waist dropped from 40" to 36". I stopped smoking after a TIA in 2016 and completely stopped drinking in Aug 2021, when the cancer was diagnosed. My scans, blood tests and recent follow up colonoscopy in 2021 were clear. 

Was it the only factor? Maybe. Possibly not. My dad died from colon cancer at 71. But his dad died at 99! 

I think 'just smoking' or 'just drinking' may not effect you enough to get cancer but I was basically doing everything wrong. No way am I ever going back to that lifestyle. Life most definitely gives you cancer, as far as I'm concerned. But along with that, it's a bit of a lottery, too. As far as I understand it, the process of cells splitting and 'going rogue' is a random process and even people who have a lifestyle like me may not get cancer. But, on the other hand, they are probably prime candidates for heart disease and chronic medical issues, such as diabetes, liver disease and emphysema. 

I agree it is a lottery some ppl can smoke 80 a friend of mine cdies he's fit as fiddle but a woman friend from Scotland a nurse never drank or smoked died from lung cancer at 52,it's a lottery but got to blame some thing I put a lot of blame in stress, right or wrong we will never know what really causes cancer ,never 

As someone else said - life's a lottery. 
That said my Mam smoked like a chimney and died of cancer, her Dad smoked like a chimney and died of cancer.