ArticleCancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology2022
Work-Related Stress Was Not Associated with Increased Cancer Risk in a Population-Based Cohort Setting.
Article in Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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4 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.
- Perceived stress profiles, resourcefulness, and quality of life among patients with colorectal cancer and intestinal ostomy: a cross-sectional latent profile and mediation study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Influence of occupational stress on breast cancer incidence in the Women's Health Initiative.Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association · 2025Observational
- Sick Leave due to Stress and Subsequent Cancer Risk, a Swedish National Registry Study of 516,678 Cancer Cases.Cancer medicine · 2025Article
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6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundStress is a commonly perceived cause of cancer, but the evidence to date is limited and inconclusive. We examined work-related stress in relation to cancer incidence in a population-based cohort, with outcome data from Swedish national registries.
methodsThe study population included 113,057 participants in the Västerbotten Intervention Programme. HRs were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression, for cancer overall and for types with ≥500 cases, and adjusting for several potential confounders. The primary exposure was prediagnostic work-related stress, using the well established Karasek job demand/control model. Demand and control variables were dichotomized at the median, and participants were classified according to combinations of these categories. We also considered social network and aspects of quality of life.
results"High-strain" work (high demand/low control) was not associated with cancer risk compared with "low-strain" work (low demand/high control): multivariable HR 1.01 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.94-1.08] for men and 0.99 (95% CI, 0.92-1.07) for women. Results were also null for most cancer types assessed: prostate, breast, colorectal, lung, and gastrointestinal (GI). The risk of GI cancer was lower for "passive" (low demand/low control) versus "low-strain" work, particularly for colorectal cancer in women: multivariable HR 0.71 (95% CI, 0.55-0.91), but statistical significance was lost after adjustment for multiple testing.
conclusionsThe findings of this population-based, cohort study do not support a role for work-related stress in determining cancer risk. IMPACT: This study helps fill an important knowledge gap given the common concern about stress as a risk factor for cancer.
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