Scientists have discovered a link between stress and the growth and spread of cancer. Published in the online edition of the prestigious International Journal of Cancer. The researchers found that a neurotransmitter – neuropeptide Y or NPY – released in response to stress, accelerates cell growth and cell migration. The spread of cancer cells from the breast to other parts of the body makes the disease lethal.
In their research, Jackson and Medeiros looked at a branch of the nervous system known as the sympathetic nervous system. When it’s activated during stress, the sympathetic system communicates with cells through the release of neurotransmitters, including NPY. They looked specifically at breast cancer because the female breast has a high density of sympathetic nerves. Read more…
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