When you have lymphoma or lymphatic cancer, it is quite usual to feel stressed or anxious. You will be worried about finances, future, everyday issues, and family problems. The mere act of remembering all your medication doses or just going to the hospital is stressful. Stress, after you have lymphoma, is understandable. But can lymphoma be caused by stress?   Well, there is no definitive answer to this. So, let us discuss in brief if or how stress and lymphoma are related.

Scientists have conducted several studies over the past few years to find the answer to the big question: can stress cause lymphoma, or could it accelerate the growth of cancer cells? When you are stressed, your body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These are the stress hormones and might suppress the immune system over time. As a result, the functioning of the immune system might get affected. It is the primary reason you might have noticed that you tend to fall sick when you are stressed. Scientists relate this sickness to the suppression of the immune system. So, when your immune system is not acting to its full potential, you might be more vulnerable to lymphoma or other cancers. 

Genetics and stress
Researchers are also investigating the association between genetics and stress. They believe that there are a few stressful situations, which might trigger some genes or deactivate others. These changes could potentially have an impact on your body and could result in cancer. Moreover, studies even prove that cortisol, primary stress hormone alters the genetics of the body. It also intervenes with the natural ability of the genes, which work towards tumor suppression. Hence, they are unable to do what they are supposed to be doing. 

Outcome of stress
Stress triggers heat shock factor-1, which is a protein present in the body. This protein triggers another protein in the body, i.e., the HSF27. Now, the problem is HSF28 has always worked to protect the unhealthy cancerous cells from dying. So, even when their DNA is externally damaged by chemotherapy or radiation, HSF28 would protect them. Though this research may sound appealing, it is often difficult to understand, and it gets confusing. It is because different people experience different stress levels. So, there is absolutely no way to set up a control group, i.e., one sans stress to juxtapose it with other subjects. It makes it almost impossible to examine whether or not the cellular impact, so experienced, is caused by stress or any other risk factor, which the person might have. Thus, it is harder for scientists to find an answer to the ultimate question: can lymphoma be caused by stress? However, some studies suggest that stress might be detrimental in the spread and the progression of cancer. As such, there is no absolute clarity on the subject yet.