Study finds no strong link between psychosocial factors and cancer incidence.
New research indicates that psychosocial factors—which influence how a person perceives, interprets, and reacts to their surroundings—do not affect an individual’s risk of developing cancer. The findings are published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
For the study, investigators examined data from the Psychosocial Factors and Cancer (PSY-CA) consortium, an international research collaboration funded by the Dutch Cancer Society that analyzes information from prospective studies to assess whether psychosocial factors—such as perceived social support, loss of a loved one, relationship status, neuroticism, and general distress—are associated with an increased risk for the development of cancer.
In the analysis of 421,799 individuals who had psychosocial factors measured at a single point in time, no psychosocial factors were associated with an elevated risk of overall cancer, or with increased risks of breast, prostate, colorectal, and cancers with alcohol as a common potential causal factor.
Perceived social support, currently not in a relationship, and loss of a loved one were associated with a higher risk of lung cancer, but most of these risks decreased after adjusting for known risk factors, including smoking and family history of cancer.
“PSY-CA has spent the last years researching a commonly held belief—that poor mental health or other potential psychosocial stressors can increase the risk of developing cancer. Our findings do not support this notion,” said lead author Lonneke A. van Tuijl, PhD, of University Medical Center Groningen, in the Netherlands. “Furthermore, many of the small effects observed are often explained by unhealthy behaviors.”
Additional information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. A free abstract of this article will be available via the CANCER Newsroom upon online publication. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com
Full Citation:
“Psychosocial Factors and the Risk of Cancer: An individual-participant data meta-analysis.” Lonneke A. van Tuijl, Kuan-Yu Pan, Maartje Basten, Roel Vermeulen, Lützen Portengen, Alexander de Graeff, Joost Dekker, Mirjam I. Geerlings, Adriaan W. Hoogendoorn, Femke Lamers, Adri C. Voogd, Jessica Abell, Philip Awadalla, Aartjan T.F. Beekman, Ottar Bjerkeset, Andy Boyd, Yunsong Cui, Philipp Frank, Henrike Galenkamp, Bert Garssen, Sean Hellingman, Martijn Huisman, Anke Huss, Trynke R. de Jong, Melanie R. Keats, Almar A.L. Kok, Steinar Krokstad, Flora E. van Leeuwen, Annemarie I. Luik, Nolwenn Noisel, Yves Payette, Brenda W.J.H. Penninx, Ina Rissanen, Annelieke M. Roest, Rikje Ruiter, Robert A. Schoevers, David Soave, Mandy Spaan, Andrew Steptoe, Karien Stronks, Erik R. Sund, Ellen Sweeney, Emma L. Twait, Alison Teyhan, W.M. Monique Verschuren, Kimberly D. van der Willik, Judith G.M. Rosmalen, and Adelita V. Rancho. CANCER; Published Online: March 23, 2026 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.70271).
URL Upon Publication: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/cncr.70271
Author Contact: Press officer Ronnie van Veen, at R.A.B.vanVeen@uu.nl
About the Journal
CANCER is a peer-reviewed publication of the American Cancer Society integrating scientific information from worldwide sources for all oncologic specialties. The objective of CANCER is to provide an interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of information among oncologic disciplines concerned with the etiology, course, and treatment of human cancer. CANCER is published on behalf of the American Cancer Society by Wiley and can be accessed online. Follow CANCER on X @JournalCancer , and stay up to date with the American Cancer Society Journals on Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
About Wiley
Wiley is a global leader in authoritative content and research intelligence for the advancement of scientific discovery, innovation, and learning. With more than 200 years at the center of the scholarly ecosystem, Wiley combines trusted publishing heritage with AI-powered platforms to transform how knowledge is discovered, accessed, and applied. From individual researchers and students to Fortune 500 R&D teams, Wiley enables the transformation of scientific breakthroughs into real-world impact. From knowledge to impact—Wiley is redefining what's possible in science and learning. Visit us at Wiley.com and Investors.Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.