Loneliness may speed up cancer growth

LONELINESS may cause tumours to grow more rapidly, leading to calls for better social support for patients battling cancer.

New Victorian and international research has shown tumours in socially isolated animals grow faster than those surrounded by their peers, reinforcing human studies that found better social connections can influence the success of cancer treatment. Having seen tumours develop 10 per cent faster in isolated insects in a world-first study, Deakin University researcher Dr Beata Uj- vari believes the emotional toll of loneliness for humans can also detract from their efforts to combat disease.

“We think it causes an extra stress to the animal and in the stressful environment, it won’t be able to invest as much energy to suppress tumour growth,” Dr Ujvari said.

“So far, cancer treatment mostly focuses on removing the tumour or treating the patient with chemotherapy, but there are so many other factors that can influence outcomes.

“For our study and some human studies, we see that social support can make or break treatment and can significantly influence outcomes. It seems to be a tiny factor, but it can have a major impact.”

Dr Ujvari said some US cancer centres had begun evaluating their patient’s social supports as part of treatment and called for a more holistic view to be integrated in Australian treatment strategies.