Does Stress Make Cancer Worse? 4 Ways to Support Your Loved One

After a diagnosis, many things change, and navigating life can become challenging. Understanding these connections can help you find practical ways to support your loved one and take care of yourself as you navigate this journey together.

Does Stress Potentially Make Cancer Worse?

Scientists have found strong evidence suggesting that stress may worsen cancer and contribute to its spread (tumor progression and metastasis).

Studies conducted on animals and lab-grown cells demonstrate a direct connection between stress and cancer progression. For example, researchers created a stressful environment for mice in the lab by isolating them, restricting their movement, and separating them from other mice.

They found that when the mice were stressed, their tumors grew larger and spread to other parts of their bodies more easily. In humans, the evidence is mostly correlational (patterns linking cancer growth and stress have been observed, but direct cause-and-effect is harder to prove).

How Does Stress Do This?

Scientists have been studying this mechanism for a long time. While they are still working on fully understanding it, they have made findings that shed light on how stress may impact cancer growth. To make it easier, let’s simplify the complex biological processes and use simple words that everyone can understand.

Stress could potentially worsen cancer because it creates conditions in the body that promote cancer growth and spread.

When you feel stressed, your body releases certain chemicals, such as adrenaline and norepinephrine. These hormones are part of your “fight or flight” response, which helps you react to danger. However, in cancer patients, these hormones might contribute to cancer growth and spread. It’s important to understand that these hormones don’t directly “cause” cancer to grow or spread, but they create an environment that makes it easier for these processes to happen.

For example, adrenaline may influence pathways that support a pro-inflammatory environment. Tumors thrive in inflamed environments because they gain better access to oxygen and nutrients, which support their growth and spread. In some cases, neutrophils can promote tumor growth by shielding cancer cells from the body’s immune system. Neutrophils may also “awaken” dormant cancer cells, further aiding in the spread of the disease.

Please note that this evidence focuses on how stress could potentially make cancer worse. However, when it comes to how cancer develops in the first place and whether stress causes it, studies have not shown a clear link.

Where Does Stress Come From?

A cancer diagnosis can bring an overwhelming amount of stress for patients. It’s not just the shock of the diagnosis itself but the uncertainty, fear, and emotional weight that come with it. Suddenly, patients are faced with a flood of new information to process and the need to make critical, often complex, treatment decisions—all within a very short period of time.

The physical effects of treatment can add another layer of stress. Side effects from treatments like pain, nausea, and fatigue can make daily life challenging. These physical symptoms often create a cycle of stress, as patients feel both physically drained and emotionally overwhelmed.

In addition, relationship dynamics may shift. Communication within families can sometimes become strained, adding another emotional burden.

And then there’s the financial impact—reduced income, mounting medical bills, loss of insurance, or even the depletion of savings. For some patients, these financial pressures can lead to significant stress, compounding the challenges they’re already facing.

Caregivers Can Be Impacted by That Stress Too

These emotional, social, and financial stresses affect not only patients but also family caregivers. When your loved one is going through a stressful moment, it can be hard to feel happy yourself. As some caregivers shared:

Not to mention, as a caregiver, you also face other stresses, such as juggling work, caring for your loved one, taking care of your children, managing daily responsibilities, and dealing with the uncertainty of the future.

So, what can caregivers do to help patients manage their stress and, in turn, lighten the emotional burden they carry as well?

As a Caregiver, How Can You Help Ease Stress for Both the Patient and Yourself?

1. Social support is crucial when patients face these challenges.

Evidence shows that "perceived social support" (the support people feel) can help reduce cancer-related stress and improve well-being and quality of life.

💡As a caregiver, you can partner with the patient to tackle these obstacles together. Research shows that when caregivers and patients work as a “team” during this journey, it becomes easier for both parties. For more details about what “working as a team” means and how to do it, check out this article: Navigating Cancer as a Team: Less Stress, Stronger Bonds.

Patients may also have other supporters in their network, such as friends or family members. These connections might provide emotional strength in unexpected ways. One patient shared how the presence of her daughter made all the difference when she had to choose a wig. Another patient, who exercised regularly, found support from her badminton group:

💡As a caregiver, you can help the patient connect with these sources of support, whether by organizing visits, coordinating phone calls, or even setting up online group chats. These connections not only provide emotional and practical help for the patient but can also lighten your burden as a caregiver.

⚠ It’s important to note that not all social support is helpful—it must align with the patient’s needs. Sometimes, even well-intentioned support can cause additional stress. For example, some patients may want to carry on as normally as possible without focusing too much on their illness and expect others to respect that. One patient shared:

To better understand patients' needs, check out this article: How Do Cancer Patients Want Us to Help? The Do’s and Don’ts

2. Active exercise is also helpful to cope with stress for cancer Patients.

Evidence shows that active exercise could help reduce depression, fatigue and improve health-related quality of life for cancer patients. As a caregiver, you and your loved one can set up some exercise routines. You could do it separately or do it together. It will benefit the patients and improve your quality of life. Please note that, different patients may have different health conditions. Check with the doctors what types of exercises would be safe and beneficial for your health.

3. Ask the doctor for a referral to a mental health professional.

As a caregiver, you may try to cheer your loved one up, but sometimes their emotional challenges are beyond what you can handle alone. It’s important to talk with the patient and the doctor about setting up a referral to a mental health professional. This way, the patient can get the care they need, and you don’t have to carry the entire emotional burden yourself.

4. Last but not least: DewDew brings help and resources to you

Both you and your loved one may face significant stress—from the diagnosis itself, making treatment decisions, and managing relationships and communication, to handling financial challenges. DewDew is designed to bring all the resources together for you, so you can find what you need when you need it. We are here to support you every step of the way.

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