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25 August 2008
Traumatic events can catalyze breast cancer 
Happiness and optimism appear to help prevent breast cancer while adverse life events seem to increase the risk of developing the disease, says Professor Ronit Peled, at Ben-Gurion University in Israel. Peled's study, titled "Breast Cancer, Psychological Distress and Life Events among Young Women," has just been published in the journal BMC Cancer. The study examined women's life experiences and evaluated their levels of happiness, optimism, anxiety, and depression prior to diagnosis of breast cancer. "The results showed a clear link between outlook and risk of breast cancer, with optimists 25 percent less likely to have developed the disease. Conversely, women who suffered two or more traumatic events had a 62 percent greater risk," Peled said. "Young women who have been exposed to a number of negative life events should be considered an 'at-risk' group for breast cancer and should be treated accordingly."
"The mechanism in which the central nervous, hormonal and immune systems interact and how behavior and external events modulate these three systems is not fully understood," Peled concluded. "The relationship between happiness and health should be examined in future studies and relevant preventative initiatives should be developed." Related:
Exercise "Substantially" Cuts Risk of Breast Cancer
Booby Babble And Breast Cancer Research
Breast Cancer More Aggressive In Women From Deprived Backgrounds
Women Blame Stress For Their Breast Cancer Source: Ben-Gurion University
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