Widespread Pain Doubles Risk of Cancer Death

The study was published in the British Medical Journal (2001,323:662-664).

The research team monitored the rates and causes of death among 6,569 adults, up to age 80, for eight years. They were asked if and where they had felt body pain in the preceding month, whether they smoked, and what their levels of psychologic stress were. Just under 50% reported pain in one area of their bodies, and just over 33% reported no pain at all. A further 15%, which included more women and older people than the other groups, complained of pain all over their bodies. Over the eight years, 654 people died. Heart disease accounted for 25% of the deaths, followed by cancer, which killed almost 30%. Most of the other deaths were attributable to respiratory disease.
People with widespread and regional pain not only had higher death rates but were much more likely to die of cancer. Regional pain sufferers were significantly more likely to have died of cancer, while those with widespread pain were twice as likely to have done so. The risk remained even after accounting for a diagnosis of cancer at the time of the survey and other influential factors, such as age, sex, and smoking. The number of accidental, suicidal, or violent deaths was small (2%), but people with widespread pain were five times as likely to die this way as people who reported no pain.
The authors suggest that the same factors underlying heightened pain perception may also be involved in an increased risk of cancer or that widespread pain may shorten survival in people who go on to develop the disease.



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British Medical Journal