Study: Personality Does Not Appear to Increase Risk of Breast Cancer

A woman's personality characteristics appear to neither increase nor decrease her risk of developing breast cancer, according to researchers in Finland.

Various personality characteristics have been suggested to increase the risk of breast cancer but data supporting this theory has been limited.

Researchers investigated the relationship between personality characteristics and the risk of breast cancer in 12,499 Finnish women, ages 18 and over.

The women completed one or more personality assessments in 1975 and again in 1981. They also reported other potential breast cancer risk factors. From 1976 to 1996, 253 of the study participants developed breast cancer.

Women who were classified as extroverts were no more likely to develop breast cancer than other women. Also, women who had type A behavior and hostility were no more likely to develop breast cancer than other women. Furthermore, researchers observed no substantial joint effects of personality characteristics on the risk of breast cancer, according to the study published in the International Journal of Cancer.

"In conclusion, our data do not support the existence of an important role for personality in the etiology of breast cancer," concluded the researchers. "These findings are reassuring to those who have believed the contrary."

Other sources: International Journal of Cancer