title: Association between stress and breast cancer in women: a meta-analysis.
abstract: The objective of the current meta-analysis was to verify the association between stressful life events and primary breast cancer incidence in women. A total of 618 studies from 1982-2007 were found in the PubMed, LILACS, and Cochrane Library databases. Methodological quality was evaluated according to the Downs & Black criteria. Eight studies were selected (six case-controls and two cohorts). The studies were grouped in three analyses, two of which based on the categories widowhood and divorce and the other based on self-rated intensity and frequency of stressful events. Relative risks were: widowhood 1.04 (95%CI: 0.75-1.44; p = 0.800); divorce 1.03 (95%: 0.72-1.48; p = 0.850); and intensity/frequency of stress 1.73 (95%CI: 0.98-3.05; p = 0.059). We conclude that stressful life events as a whole are not associated with risk of breast cancer in women. However, it is not possible to rule out high-intensity stress as a risk factor for breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia, Odontologia e Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brasil.
authors.forename: Míria Conceição Lavinas
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Bernardo Lessa
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Horta
authors.forename: João Joaquim Freitas do
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.forename: Paula Frassinetti Castelo Branco Camurça
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Cristina Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Galvão
authors.forename: Ana Fátima Carvalho
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Fernandes
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008016:Life Change Events; D017533:Marital Status; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*