Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Chronic stress, a sustained psychophysiological state, promotes tumor progression primarily by disrupting anti-tumor immunity. Through persistent activation of the HPA axis and sympathetic nervous system, stress hormones such as glucocorticoids and catecholamines reshape the tumor microenvironment and systemically impair immune surveillance. This leads to suppressed activity of cytotoxic lymphocytes, expansion of immunosuppressive cells, and ultimately, enhanced immune evasion and metastasis. Furthermore, these pathways undermine the efficacy of conventional and emerging therapies by fostering multidrug resistance. This review highlights these mechanisms and discusses the promise of targeting stress signaling, through both pharmacological and behavioral interventions, as a strategy to improve cancer outcomes. To address the current lack of clinical guidelines for counteracting the cancer progression mediated by chronic stress, this review propose a tiered screening and intervention model based on easily accessible biostress biomarkers. This hypothesis aims to bridge the gap between basic mechanism research and clinical application, providing a theoretical foundation directional guidance for future research.
Source: Frontiers in Immunology
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
Awards: G5998249242, G7045500260
OpenAlex ID: W7129010605