Stressful Life Events and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Case-Control Study of Iran

Background: Very few analytical studies are available on any association between stressful life events (SLE)and colorectal cancer (CRC), at least in Iran. The aim of this case control study was to determine the associationbetween stressful life events (SLE) and colorectal cancer. Materials and
Methods: This study was conductedin four hospital colonoscopy units in Tabriz city of Iran including 414 participants aged 40–75 years: 207 caseswith CRC confirmed by pathology and colonoscopy findings and 207 controls free of neoplastic conditions wereselected (from the same hospitals at the same period for the cases and after matching for age and sex). Stressfullife events were assessed using a 43-item Holmes and Rahe Life Events Questionnaire. Multivariate logisticregression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios for SLE and risk of CRC.
Results: The stressful life eventmean score in the case group was 141.3, in contrast to 63.8 in the control group (p<0.011). After adjusting forconfounders, death of dear ones increased the risk of CRC (OR: 2.49; 95%CI: 1.41-5.13). Other types of stressfullife events (family and husband disputes, serious occupational problems, unemployment of > 6 months, andSerious financial problems) were also associated with CRC, but without statistical significance.
Conclusions:According to our findings, it seems that SLE may increase the risk of CRC.