Does stress increase risk of recurrence?

pesky904

I have nothing but stress in my life right now. I'm 44 and just spent 18 months fighting stage III TNBC.

My mother died unexpectedly and suddenly a few days ago.

Just before I was diagnosed, my husband left me for a woman he knew in high school. But he didn't divorce me. He just left, moved 1000 miles away and started a whole new life. I spent all the money I had trying to divorce him. Then I got diagnosed and at some point while I was fighting cancer, he changed his phone number and now I can't even reach him unless I go through social media. So I'm still married, but to a ghost. I can't afford to divorce him. I don't have an extra penny at the end of each month.

I've been staying with a relative since my diagnosis. I work freelance and due to treatment, appointments and fatigue, I lost more than half of my income while fighting cancer. I can barely concentrate most of the time, so I work much slower now as well. I can barely pay my basic bills and now my relative has not so subtly told me I've overstayed my welcome and need to get out as soon as possible.

I'm extremely high risk for recurrence. I am still freelancing when I can but I have no real job and am dealing right now with a new lump in my reconstructed breast, a new lump in the axilla of the breast and also a small nodule-feeling bump on my sternum, while also trying to find new employment and save money for a place to live. Trying to find a job is stressful, but even more so when you know you will have to take so much time off for appointments, etc. I still need fat grafting surgery but will have to put that off for a long time. I also worry that I will start a new job and then get a recurrence and end up homeless or something.

I feel stressed every minute of every day and no amount of meditation or meds can help because it won't change the situation. I will always have to be vigilant about recurrence, and I still my unfinished marriage/vanished husband hanging over my head. I know finding a job will help and I hope I can find one soon. I also know I can't afford to be picky, but being high risk, I can't face the idea of being in a job that I absolutely hate. I don't have to love it and be totally passionate about whatever job I do, but I'd like to find something I at least like.

Now that I'm no longer in active treatment, everyone expects my life to just go back to normal. Well, it wasn't "normal" when I got diagnosed and now it's much less so. Divorce, cancer, no job, unstable living arrangements, new lumps/symptoms, my mother's death...

I do wonder how much of a factor all this stress is in whether I get a recurrence or not. My friends and family initially all questioned whether the stress of being abandoned by my husband contributed to my cancer to begin with, since I really had no risk factors.

mistyeyes

I will be interested in following this thread to see what the responses will be. I personally think stress can be a real big impact on your physical body, but I don't know to what degree that effect is.

pupmom

pesky904, OMG I can't believe how much you've been through, all at once! I'm not sure about stress causing recurrence, basically I think not, but it can produce other problems. Hope you get through this rough patch (understatement) soon. Maybe your husband will decide he wants a divorce and file.

Anyway,

LillyDuff

Not sure if this helps, but have you thought about applying for disability? I'm sorry you are going through all of this.

pesky904

Thank you. I don't qualify for disability because I was stage III and I'm not in active treatment anymore.

vlnrph

Here’s what bco editors posted a few years ago:

Many women feel that stress and anxiety caused them to be diagnosed with breast cancer. Because there has been no clear proof of a link between stress and a higher risk of breast cancer, researchers in the United Kingdom conducted a large prospective study on the issue.

The results show no link between breast cancer risk and stress or difficult life events, including the loss of parents during childhood.

The study was published online on July 15, 2016 by the journal Breast Cancer Research. Read "Psychological stress, adverse life events and breast cancer incidence: a cohort investigation in 106,000 women in the United Kingdom."

A prospective study follows a group of similar people who are different in terms of the factors being studied to see how the factors affect the rates of a certain outcome. A prospective study is considered stronger than a retrospective study. A retrospective study analyzes information that was collected before the study was designed.

In the study, the researchers looked at the records of 106,612 women 16 or older in the United Kingdom who were part of the Breakthrough Generations Study, a study looking at the causes of breast cancer. The women joined the study between 2003 and 2012. None of the women had been diagnosed with breast cancer when they joined the study.

The women filled out a questionnaire about breast cancer risk factors and other items and also donated a blood sample at the start of the study. The women then updated the information in the questionnaire every 2.5 to 3 years.

The questionnaire also asked about stress, including:

• whether the women had felt stressed over the past 5 years and how often
• if they had experienced the death of a long-term partner, child, close friend, parent, or other close relative
• if they had gone through a divorce or separation
• if they had had a serious illness or injury
• if they had lost a job
• any other life event they found very stressful

The researchers then looked to see how many women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer or DCIS during the approximately 10 years of follow-up.

During follow-up:

• 1,783 women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer
• 273 women were diagnosed with DCIS

The data were adjusted for known breast cancer risk factors, including:

• age at first period
• age at first live birth
• time spent breastfeeding
• body mass index at age 20
• body mass index after menopause
• use of combination hormone replacement therapy
• history of benign breast disease
• cigarette smoking
• drinking alcohol
• lack of exercise
• family history of breast cancer

About 34% of the women in the study reported frequent or continuous stress, and 74% said they had experienced at least one very difficult life event in the previous 5 years. Women who said they had frequent or continuous stress were more likely to have had a very difficult life event.

The researchers found that women who reported frequent or continuous stress had about the same risk of breast cancer as women who reported occasional or no stress. Breast cancer risk also wasn't linked to experiencing a very difficult life event during the previous 5 years.

This study found no link between breast cancer risk and stress, which is a good thing. Still, anything you can do to reduce your stress and enhance your self-confidence, satisfaction, and happiness can have a huge effect on your quality of life. So-called "mindful measures," such as yoga, meditation, visualization, journaling, and prayer, may be valuable additions to your daily or weekly routine. Exercise also can help ease stress as well as boost your energy and self-esteem.

bcincolorado

HI,

I lost my job because of memory loss and anxiety. I may be possibly ending treatment (hormonal) at the end of the month but think from new guidelines need to be on it for another year and half still. After I lost my job it was recommended I apply for SSDI. I did not think I would qualify at all because I am Stage II. I know Stage IV qualifies but not necessarily other staging. Since it was recommended I apply I met with an attorney (they do not charge FYI up front at all to do so). She says I qualify and started paperwork going and told me what I needed to do. It could still be a very long time before we find out but it is at least going. Even if you do not think you qualify, read through all the pages on side effects from meds and read the part with PTSD!!! There is a whole podcast on there too. It fit me exactly. Can't drive. Super anxiety. Barely drive more than a couple of blocks. Don't sleep. Bone pain. Exhausted. Here is the link for easy reference.

https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/hormonal and also

https://www.breastcancer.org/community/podcasts/ptsd-20181220

bcincolorado

Oh, forgot to mention I also printed out pages of side effects and you can get the whole transcript on PTSD and had that as well.

Best of luck to you as well. I have no idea how long all of this will go. I am not a "complainer" and the attorney had me start by complaining all my SE to all my doctors including MO and primary doc so they are on the record. That is one reason I think she may take me off them when I go for my appointment the end of the month. It does not mean the symptoms are going to go away though no matter what. Primary thinks I'm in depression which I do not agree but I do think I have PTSD definitely. You have been through a lot of trauma with people in your life as well (as I was as well) and that definitely appears to make you more susceptible to getting PTSD.

pesky904

Thanks, I’ll check out the links. I won’t qualify because I’m triple negative and so there’s no hormonal therapy or additional therapy for triple negative. My doctor told me there’s no reason she could think of where I would qualify for SSDI. (Unless these new symptoms turn out to be a recurrence and mets.

bcincolorado

Hi,

Bet you have PTSD and anxiety is on their radar as well. My attorney wanted me to get a neuropshch evaluation done. Primary actually referred to have one done as well since he is convinced I'm in depression. I know what I want to say but words do not come out of my mouth a lot of the times. Can't make decisions. Cry at the drop of a hat. Lots of stuff on that list. Listen to that pod cast and check out local attorneys there to see what they say. That is why I went to them first since I did not think I would even stand a chance on getting approved at all. She says I do or she would not have even wanted to work with me.

bcincolorado

There are also pages with specifics on triple neg as well including new info for reference too if you have not read through them lately. I know I was surprised at side effects I saw that I had no idea could be caused by meds and were.

https://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/diagnosis/trip_neg

TB90

Prsky904: First of all, you really deserve a break. Do you have a caring friend or relative you can stay with that is close to your medical team. Living where you no longer feel welcome is the worst. You have so much to deal with, so you need to be able to breathe and attempt to relax. Or at least be relaxed enough to be able to think and eat. Then you need to address your medical issues. Forget the divorce for now. Is there public housing you can apply for? You need to know that your basic needs are not in threat. Start there and try to get yourself in a safe place that is not being threatened. Stress may not increase chances of recurrence, but it definitely inhibits quality of life. Break things down into steps and priority. One step and one day at a time. ((((Hugs))))

mistyeyes

vlnrph - Thank-you so much for the information. My husband recently died and I can't help the stress that comes with that. I am trying to deal with it and most days I am ok, but thinking this stress would make my cancer come back was a worry I did not need.