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WOMEN with high levels of stress may have twice the amount of risk for developing breast cancer...

Over 1,400 Swedish women partisipated in a long-term study in Copenhagen, Denmark.

These women were asked to fill out a survey in which they answered a question about stress. Each women was asked to think over the past five years and asked them if they had experienced a prolonged feeling of stress for the period of a month or longer.

The questions in this study focused on a variety of health related situation. They were asked what stressful situations they might have encountered that resulted in anxiety, tension, fear and disturbances in their sleep. In addition they asked questions that were related to family or work issues.

This women who partisipated in this study did not have breast cancer at the time of the study. Over the next 24 years they had regular follow-up exams and continued to answer health related questionaires.

The questionairs were used it to determine if there was any relation between stress and whether it increased their risk for developing breast cancer. The study indicated that women who had a more calm and cool demenor were less likely to develop breast cancer. In fact stress seemed to produce as high as two times the amount of risk for development of breast cancer.

Included in this study were other factors such as a family history of cancer, smoking and alcohol as well as many other negetive health related issues that would increase the risk. However, even when considering these other factors stress continued to produce two times the risk for breast cancer than those that maintained a much calmer lifestyle.

In addtion to this smaller study, scientists from Denmark studied 6,689 women for the period of 18 years. This study seemes to suggest that stress can suppress the production of oestrogen, which in itself is another risk factor related to the development of breast cancer.

These scientists mention that the studies they conducted regarding stress and breast cancer risk, are not to be considered conclusive as more time and larger group studies would need to be observed.