Introduction: There is evidence that hormones related to stress and anxiety and environmental neurotransmitters can cause proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, and tumorigenesis. Sometimes it strengthens them and disrupts the immune response. The mentioned changes cause a change in the endocrine system's signaling pathways, disturb the body's balance, and stimulate the immune response. Stress stimulates the hypothalamus-pituitary axis and the parasympathetic system, resulting in the abnormal secretion of hormones that activate signaling pathways and increase downstream oncogene expression. It increases active tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, and metastasis.
Methods: In this review study, a search was made in electronic and scientific databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus, and valid articles related to the subject were searched using the keywords stress and cancer.
Results: Stress definitely plays a role in the spread of cancer by disrupting the immune system. Also, controlling stress and strengthening the body's immune system can play an important role in preventing and treating diseases such as cancer.
Conclusion: Considering that the role of stress is important in the development of various diseases, including cancer, in this sense, studying and researching in this field is a key step in the treatment and prevention of cancer and other related diseases.