[MissC]

Stress does not cause cancer

Not directly, but it is a contributing factor. Stress weakens the overall health and the immune system, which allows disease a foothold, regardless of vector.

The current science on the mechanism of cancer is that somehow apoptosis (normal cell death) becomes switched off.

But what causes that? There is not one single answer, which is the same as saying that there are a variety of insults which cause it.

For example, it's fairly well established that cigarettes, asbestos, coal dust, exhaust particulates, and certain volatile organic compounds, while they don't always cause lung cancer, absolutely contribute to it. Hormonal issues contribute to breast cancer, sunburn contributes to skin cancer, and so on.

Someone will always trot out the correlation vs. causation argument; this thread seems to be no exception. The third "C" however is "contribution" and it always gets left out of the discussion.

So, while you are correct in that we can't say "Stress = Cancer", it's a contributing factor, and not infrequently, a primary one.

It is also well established that living a healthy lifestyle, eating well, and having a strong immune system and low stress, make you a less likely cancer victim than otherwise.


Feel free to point out where I'm engaging in wishful thinking.