Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41866892›Full record

SynthesisCancer2026

Psychosocial factors and the risk of cancer: An individual-participant data meta-analysis.

Lonneke A van Tuijl, Kuan-Yu Pan, Maartje Basten, Roel Vermeulen, Lützen Portengen, Alexander de Graeff, Joost Dekker, Mirjam I Geerlings, Adriaan W Hoogendoorn, Femke Lamers and 38 more

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

48 authors.

Lonneke A van TuijlHealth Psychology Section, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Kuan-Yu PanDepartment of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Maartje BastenJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Roel VermeulenInstitute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Lützen PortengenInstitute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Alexander de GraeffDepartment of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Joost DekkerDepartment of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2027-0027
Mirjam I GeerlingsJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Adriaan W HoogendoornDepartment of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Femke LamersDepartment of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Adri C VoogdDepartment of Epidemiology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Jessica AbellDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, UK.
Philip AwadallaOntario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Aartjan T F BeekmanDepartment of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Ottar BjerkesetFaculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Nord University, Bodø, Norway.
Andy BoydPopulation Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Yunsong CuiAtlantic Partnership for Tomorrow's Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Philipp FrankDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, UK.
Henrike GalenkampDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC and Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Bert GarssenHealth Psychology Section, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Sean HellingmanDepartment of Mathematics, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Martijn HuismanDepartment of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Anke HussInstitute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Trynke R de JongLifelines Cohort and Biobank, Roden, the Netherlands.
Melanie R KeatsSchool of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Almar A L KokDepartment of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Steinar KrokstadTrøndelag Health Study (HUNT) Research Centre, Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Flora E van LeeuwenDivision of Psychosocial Research and Epidemiology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Annemarie I LuikDepartment of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Nolwenn NoiselCARTaGENE, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Yves PayetteCARTaGENE, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Brenda W J H PenninxDepartment of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Ina RissanenJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Annelieke M RoestDepartment of Developmental Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Rikje RuiterDepartment of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Robert A SchoeversDepartment of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
David SoaveOntario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Mandy SpaanDivision of Psychosocial Research and Epidemiology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Andrew SteptoeDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, UK.
Karien StronksDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC and Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Erik R SundTrøndelag Health Study (HUNT) Research Centre, Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Ellen SweeneyAtlantic Partnership for Tomorrow's Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Emma L TwaitJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Alison TeyhanPopulation Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
W M Monique VerschurenJulius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Kimberly D van der WillikDivision of Psychosocial Research and Epidemiology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4479-2914
Judith G M RosmalenDepartment of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Adelita V RanchorHealth Psychology Section, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.

Funding

KWF Kankerbestrijding VU2017-8288
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPsychosocial factors are argued to increase cancer risk. This study aims to clarify the association between various psychosocial factors and cancer incidence (including breast, lung, prostate, and colorectal cancers) via individual-participant data (IPD) meta-analysis. The psychosocial factors considered were perceived social support (PSS), loss, relationship status, neuroticism, and general distress.

methodsThe Psychosocial Factors and Cancer Incidence consortium used data from 22 cohorts with a measure of at least one psychosocial variable of interest at baseline (up to N = 421,799; cancer incidence, N = 35,319; person-years of follow-up, N = 4,378,582). In stage 1 of the IPD meta-analysis, Cox regression models were used with age as the timescale. In stage 2, results were pooled in random-effects meta-analyses.

resultsNo psychosocial factors were associated with an increased risk of overall cancer and with breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers, as well as with cancers with alcohol as a common potential causal factor. PSS, currently not in a relationship, and a loss event were associated with an increased risk of lung cancer (hazard ratio [HR], 1.09-1.55). Estimates decreased for PSS and relationship status when adjusting for several known risk factors, such as a family history of cancer (HR, 1.05-1.08). Similar findings were observed for relationship status and cancers with tobacco smoking as a common potential causal factor.

conclusionsFor most types of cancer, psychosocial factors (measured at a single point in time) were not associated with increased risk. PSS, currently not in a relationship, and loss were associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, although most effects attenuated when adjusting for several known risk factors.

Indexed as

NeoplasmsFemaleHumansIncidenceLung NeoplasmsMaleMiddle AgedNeuroticismRisk FactorsSocial SupportStress, Psychologicalcancer incidencelossneuroticismprospectiverelationshipsocial supportstress

Identifiers

PMID41866892
PMCPMC13006776

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.