For years we’ve heard that there’s a connection between stress and cancer. The claim is anecdotal, but has a certain horse sense that appeals to reason — stress is hard on the body, causing hormonal reactions that can potentially influence the development of cancerous cells.

New research doesn’t quite prove the claim, but does indicate that once cancer has taken hold, stress biochemically feeds its growth.  The study, by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, focused on the effects of stress on prostate cancer, and found that stress can both reduce the effectiveness of prostate cancer drugs and accelerate the development of the cancer.

via New Study Shows How Stress Feeds Cancer Cells – Forbes.