Half of British people wrongly believe stress causes cancer, poll finds

The number of people who mistakenly think coffee causes the disease has also risen

The survey quizzed people on what they believe causes cancer (Getty Images)

Exactly half of the UK population think stress causes cancer, although research has not shown evidence of this, a new poll has found.

The number of people who wrongly think coffee can lead to the disease has also risen, the survey carried out on behalf World Cancer Research Fund UK (WCRF UK).

Last year 46 per cent of those questioned linked stress to the cancer, but 50 per cent of 2070 adults polled by YouGov this year, held the mistaken belief.

WCRF UK, says there is no evidence linking stress to the disease after the result of the poll of was revealed.

It is unhealthy behaviours that some people engage in when they are stressed, such as smoking and drinking, that may cause an increased risk of cancer, according to Macmillan Cancer Support.

“Studies currently show that stress can result in slight changes to the body’s immune system, but there is no evidence this causes cancer or affects its growth," the charity said.

Cancer Research UK also said that evidence linking stress and cancer was “poor”.

“Most scientific studies have found that stress does not increase the risk of cancer,” it said. “Research that combines the results from many different studies, called meta-analyses, can often provide the most reliable indication of cancer risk. A 2013 meta-analysis including over 100,000 people found no link between stress and bowel, lung, breast or prostate cancers.”

The charity added that the few studies that had found a link were either based on small samples or simply asked participants if they had felt stressed prior to the disease’s onset, which it said was an unreliable method.

However, echoing MacMillan, it said: “Stressful situations can sometimes encourage less healthy choices, such as smoking, overeating or heavy drinking. We know that these activities can lead to cancer, so in this way, stress could indirectly increase your cancer risk.”

The survey, which looks into people’s beliefs about what does and does not cause cancer, also found that coffee was another thing that people wrongly believe causes cancer. This figure had risen to 13 per cent from 12 per cent last year.

WCRF UK, said the drink may actually reduce the risk of developing risk of liver and womb cancer, although more research is needed.

The study also found that more than half of respondents did not know that processed meats and lack of exercise really could increase the risk of developing cancer.

Smoked, cured or preserved meats including bacon, salami, chorizo, corned beef, pepperoni, pastrami, hot dogs and all types of ham were on the list of foods that increased risk.

The same number of respondents – 51 per cent – also did not know that not being physically active increases the risk.

However, 62 per cent of people were aware of the risks of being overweight.

WCRF UK also reported than 75 per cent of people thought that genetics plays a factor in getting cancer, but the research group emphasised that only up to one in 10 cancers are linked to inherited genes.

It said that one third of common cancers could be prevented by eating healthily, not being overweight and doing physical exercise regularly.

Dr Rachel Thompson, Head of Research Interpretation at WCRF, said: "Our research on cancer preventability estimates shows that about 24,000 cases of cancer could be prevented in the UK each year if people stopped drinking alcohol.

"Making other similar lifestyle choices - such as limiting your processed meat intake - and making the public aware of these risks, could save even more lives."

More people than before said, correctly, that they believed alcohol consumption was linked to cancer. The figure, which stood at 59 per cent, had risen on the previous year.

Most people were are aware of the risks of smoking at 87 per cent.