(HealthDay News) — Depression and anxiety are not related to an increased risk of cancer overall, though there may be associations with some cancers, according to a study published in Cancer.
Researchers used data from the Psychosocial Factors and Cancer Incidence consortium (18 cohorts; 319,613 individuals) to examine the association between cancer and depression or anxiety.
The researchers reported hazard ratios (HRs) reflecting the risk of cancers associated with depression diagnosis, depression symptoms, anxiety diagnosis, and anxiety symptoms.
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The team found no association between any depression or anxiety measures and cancer overall (HRs, 0.98-1.05). Likewise, there was no association between depression or anxiety diagnosis or symptoms and the risk of colorectal cancer (HRs, 0.88-1.13), prostate cancer (HRs, 0.97-1.17), breast cancer (HRs, 0.92-0.98), or alcohol-related cancers (HRs, 0.97-1.06).
Depression and anxiety measures were associated with an increased risk of lung cancer in minimally adjusted models (HRs, 1.12-1.60), but all effect estimates were attenuated in maximally adjusted models (HRs, 1.07-1.23). Depression and anxiety diagnosis as well as anxiety symptoms were associated with an increased risk of smoking-related cancers in minimally adjusted models (HRs, 1.06-1.24), but the effect estimates were attenuated in maximally adjusted models (HRs, 1.04-1.08).
“This study shows that key covariates are likely to explain the relationship between depression, anxiety, and lung and smoking-related cancers,” the researchers wrote.
