1. RISE seminar III Behavioral Influences on Cancer Growth and Progression
According to Guillermo Armaiz, stress, chronic depression, poor exercise, and lack of
social support are risks factors for developing cancer growth. Armaiz did research regarding
ovarian cancer, a mixture of diseases, where he noticed that stress hormones affect cancer
growth. Having chronic stress affects the whole body system by decreasing the immune system,
increasing the risks of heart disease, diabetes, sleep disturbance, gastrointestinal issues, anxiety,
and cancer progression.
Steps for cancer development begin with genetic alterations, proliferation
(vascularization) that causes blood vessels to grow, followed by angiogenesis in which
capillaries are created to feed cells. The next step is invasion, where they reproduce and move to
other organs. After that, embolization occurs, in which cancer cells get to the blood and attach for
development. Then they detach are transported by blood in evasion of apoptosis. Finally, they
adhere to a new micro environment and metastasis occurs in the spreading from the primary
tumor to distant organs. These cancer cells will continue to grow and eventually invade
numerous micro-environments of tissues that will benefit the cancerous cells but harm the host as
time passes. It has been demonstrated that the hormones dopamine and norepinephrine can
activate apoptosis. This further explains one of the increases in risks factors that women who are
in menopause have. Positive results were obtained using Beta Blockers since it reduces stress in
cancer growth.
I learned valuable information from Armaiz’s seminar. It got me interested in the theme
since my grandmother is a patient of ovarian cancer. She took chemotherapy, and her surgery
was a success. As a family, we all gave her the help and support she needed, and she had a strict

2. diet as well. Recovery was a painful stage but she is back on her feet. Knowing that chronic
stress occupies an important role in cancer growth got my attention.