Vienna: A groundbreaking study has found that chronic stress significantly accelerates the progression of colorectal cancer by negatively impacting gut microbiota, particularly by decreasing levels of Lactobacillus, a bacterium critical for immune response.
According to Oman News Agency, researchers conducted experiments on mice, imposing daily restraints to induce a state of chronic stress akin to that experienced by humans. The findings revealed that stressed mice exhibited quicker tumor growth and a reduction in beneficial bacteria, which are crucial for combating cancer. Both groups of mice, stressed and non-stressed, developed tumors 11 weeks after their gut bacteria were depleted through antibiotic treatment.
Further investigations demonstrated that reintroducing beneficial bacteria into the gut of stressed mice slowed down tumor formation, highlighting the potential therapeutic benefits of restoring gut microbiota in the treatment of stressed colorectal cancer patients. The study’s lead researchers p
ointed out that patients with high anxiety often experience worse outcomes, suggesting that stress exacerbates colorectal cancer partly by altering the gut microbiota, which is essential for maintaining immune health.