{"id":315300,"date":"2026-02-24T20:33:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:33:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/315300\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:33:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:33:12","slug":"the-stress-hormone-linked-to-tumour-growth-and-how-small-daily-habits-can-keep-it-in-check","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/315300\/","title":{"rendered":"The stress hormone linked to tumour growth \u2013 and how small daily habits can keep it in check"},"content":{"rendered":"

Simple daily habits, such as meditating<\/a>, could help reduce the risk of cancer<\/a> growing and spreading, according to scientists in the US.<\/p>\n

Researchers at Midwestern University in Arizona found that cortisol<\/a>, commonly known as the stress hormone, may increase tumour resilience, making cancer harder to treat and more likely to spread to other parts of the body.<\/p>\n

Incorporating stress-relieving activities into your day \u2013 particularly first thing in the morning and at the end of it \u2013 could help regulate cortisol and potentially prevent cancer from worsening, says cancer cytogeneticist Dr Kimberly Bussey.<\/p>\n

\u2018Our data suggests that psychosocial stress, particularly if it is chronic, is a contributing factor to both the development of cancer and the response to cancer therapy,\u2019 Dr Bussey said.<\/p>\n

Complementary therapies for cancer vary in terms of evidence, but Dr Bussey says there are practical steps patients can take to lower stress. The advice closely mirrors general mental wellbeing guidance, whether you\u2019re undergoing treatment, living with cancer or simply looking after your health.<\/p>\n

How cortisol affects cancer growth and treatment<\/p>\n

Dr Bussey\u2019s research found that chronically high cortisol can permanently increase the \u2018stemness\u2019 of cancer cells \u2013 their ability to change and adapt. It also suggests that elevated cortisol may make it easier for cancer to spread and survive certain treatments, with some cell changes caused by high cortisol appearing irreversible.<\/p>\n

Around 72% of people living with cancer in the UK report emotional concerns, including worry, anxiety, sadness or depression, according to Macmillan Cancer Support<\/a>. This emotional strain could contribute to disrupted cortisol levels. While cortisol should naturally fluctuate throughout the day, Dr Bussey\u2019s research suggests that in some cancer patients it can remain persistently high.<\/p>\n

\u2018Cortisol levels cycle during the day, being highest in the morning, but in cancer patients this rhythm is disrupted. Their levels tend not to show the same highs and lows, but stay more constant,\u2019 Dr Bussey said. \u2018There are arguments to be made for starting and ending the day with practices that reduce stress.\u2019<\/p>\n

How to lower cortisol levels naturally<\/p>\n

\u2018Patients should, in as much as they can, do things that experts advise all of us to do to manage stress \u2013 exercise<\/a>, get outside in nature, engage in mindfulness practices like journaling, meditation or deep breathing, eat a healthy diet<\/a>, give back to others, get enough sleep<\/a>,\u2019 Dr Bussey said. \u2018Every action they take will help.\u2019<\/p>\n

Completing a calming activity, such as meditation, in the morning can \u2018support a resilient mental state that helps us manage daily stress better,\u2019 she explains. \u2018At night, these practices can help us relax and promote quality sleep.\u2019<\/p>\n

If meditation doesn\u2019t feel calming, that\u2019s OK. The key aim is to reduce stress and support healthy cortisol rhythms. That could mean reading, watching your favourite sitcom, spending time with a pet or socialising. \u2018Spending time with friends and family, even if it is just hanging out or being in the same room together, can help,\u2019 Dr Bussey said.<\/p>\n

The takeaway isn\u2019t that stress alone causes cancer, but that managing chronic stress may play a supportive role in overall health \u2013 and potentially in how the body responds to disease.<\/p>\n

Related Stories\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Abbi Henderson is Acting Nutrition writer who covers health, fitness, women\u2019s sport and lifestyle for Women’s Health and Men’s Health. Before settling in a British seaside town, she spent a couple of years living in Canada, where she contributed to publications such as Best Health, Foodism and Canadian Living, and discovered she is, in fact, a little outdoorsy. With a desire to help make healthcare, exercise and sport more accessible to women, she writes about everything from the realities of seeking medical support as a woman to those of being a female athlete fighting for equality. She has a personal trainer qualification, a couple of medals from her short time in competitive Irish dancing, and an Arsenal Women season ticket. When she\u2019s not in front of a screen working, she enjoys weightlifting, going for walks and stopping for little treats (matchas and pastries), and trying new recipes (that are almost always pasta-based).\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Simple daily habits, such as meditating, could help reduce the risk of cancer growing and spreading, according to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":315301,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[147244,1134,147242,147241,1107,103,61,60,1135,410,411,147240,147243],"class_list":["post-315300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mental-health","tag-collection-health-app","tag-content-type-default","tag-contentid-8f42d0bd-a7b2-414d-8045-b7ff4e29b5a2","tag-cortisol-and-cancer-what-to-know","tag-displaytype-standard-article","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-locale-gb","tag-mental-health","tag-mentalhealth","tag-shorttitle-stress","tag-subsection-conditions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/315300","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=315300"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/315300\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/315301"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=315300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=315300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=315300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}