Chronic Stress, Immune Suppression, and Cancer Occurrence: Unveiling the Connection Using Survey Data and Predictive Models

Chronic stress has been implicated in cancer occurrence, but a direct causal connection has not been consistently established. Machine learning and causal modeling offer opportunities to explore complex causal interactions between psychological chronic stress and cancer occurrences. We developed predictive models employing variables from stress indicators, cancer history, and demographic data from self-reported surveys to examine the direct association between chronic stress and cancer occurrence, as well as a hypothesized immune-suppression-mediated pathway. The models were corroborated by traditional statistical methods. Our findings indicated significant associations between stress frequency, stress level, perceived health impact, and cancer occurrence. Although stress alone showed limited predictive power, integrating socio-demographic and familial cancer history data significantly enhanced model accuracy. These results highlight the multidimensional nature of cancer risk, with stress emerging as a notable factor alongside genetic predisposition. These findings strengthen the case for addressing chronic stress as a modifiable cancer risk factor, supporting its integration into personalized prevention strategies and public health interventions to reduce cancer incidence.