BMC Study Reveals Strong two way relationship Between Anxiety and Cancer Risk

A recent study published in the journal of BMC Cancer found a significant two-way relationship between anxiety disorders and cancer and revealed that individuals with anxiety are more likely to develop certain types of cancer, and vice versa. 

After analyzing data from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database, this retrospective cohort study followed two large patient groups between 2003 and 2016. The first group included over 23,000 individuals diagnosed with anxiety disorders, while the second group included more than 33,000 individuals diagnosed with cancer between 2003 and 2005. Each of these groups was compared with matched control cohorts using a 1:4 case-control sampling method. This study then applied Cox proportional hazard regression models to estimate the risk of developing the opposite condition.

The individuals with anxiety disorders were 29% more likely to develop cancer when compared to those without anxiety (Adjusted Hazard Ratio [AHR] = 1.29; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.23–1.35). The risk was even higher for certain cancers. Thyroid cancer had the strongest link, with an AHR of 2.13 (CI: 1.60–2.82), followed closely by skin cancer (AHR: 2.10; CI: 1.63–2.71) and prostate cancer (AHR: 1.97; CI: 1.59–2.47).

But the reverse was also true, where the patients diagnosed with cancer were 63% more likely to develop an anxiety disorder than individuals without cancer (AHR = 1.63; CI: 1.56–1.71). Again, specific cancer types appeared to have a more pronounced effect. The patients with nose cancer had over three times the risk of developing anxiety (AHR: 3.12; CI: 2.41–4.03). Other cancers with strong associations included leukemia (AHR: 2.54; CI: 1.63–3.96), thyroid cancer (AHR: 2.34; CI: 1.84–2.97), and oral cancer (AHR: 2.04; CI: 1.65–2.52).

While the exact mechanisms behind this bidirectional relationship remain unclear, the results point towards chronic stress, inflammation, hormonal changes, and shared biological pathways that may all play roles in linking these two conditions. Overall, these findings illuminate the importance of psychological evaluation in cancer patients and vigilant physical health screening in those with chronic anxiety.

Recognizing the two-way relationship can help guide early intervention and integrated treatment approaches. Further studies could lead to better screening programs and encourage collaboration between oncology and mental health services.

Reference:

Yen, S.-H., Hsu, Y.-H., Phiri, D., Kuo, C.-C., Fang, H.-F., & Chung, M.-H. (2025). Bidirectional relationship between anxiety disorder and cancer: a longitudinal population-based cohort study. BMC Cancer, 25(1), 761. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-025-13930-6