Major Stressful Life Events and Risk of Developing Lung Cancer: A Case-Control Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality and is strongly linked with smoking. We sought to determine whether major stressful life events (e.g. divorce) are also a risk factor for developing lung cancers.

Methods

We performed a matched case-control study. Cases (CA) were lung cancer patients diagnosed within the previous 12?months. Controls (CO) were patients without a prior history of malignancy. Data on major stressful life events were collected using the modified Holmes-Rahe stress scale. The primary endpoint was the odds of having a major stressful life event between CA and CO. A sample of 360 patients (CA?=?120, CO?=?240) was needed to achieve 80% power to detect an odds ratio (OR) of 2.00 versus the alternative of equal odds using ? ²?=?0.05.

Results

Between May 2015 and December 2016, we enrolled 301 patients (CA?=?102, CO?=?199), matched for median age (CA?=?64.4?years, CO?=?63.9?years), sex (CA-Male?=?48%, CO-Male?=?49.2%), and smoking status (ever smoker, CA?=?84%, CO?=?85%). There was no difference in lifetime stressful life event rate between CA and CO (95% vs 93.9%; P?=?.68). However, CA were significantly more likely to have had a stressful event within the preceding 5?years than CO (CA?=?77.4% vs CO?=?65.8%; P?=?.03, OR?=?1.78). ?-blocker use was significantly higher among CO (CA?=?29.4%, CO?=?49.7%; P?=?.0007, OR?=?0.42), suggesting a protective effect.

Conclusion

Patients with lung cancer are significantly more likely to have had a major stressful life event within the preceding 5?years. In addition, use of ?-blockers may be protective against lung cancer.

SUBMITTER: Jafri SH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6495441 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature