A person diagnosed with cancer is almost assured of feeling stress at the time of diagnosis, as well as life-changes that follow. Authors of a new study say it is very important to understand how stress works on us—especially too much stress. The study, appearing in the journal Cancer Cell, observed that chronic stress can increase risk of heart disease and stroke. It may also help cancer spread, creating an additional challenge for cancer care. They discovered stress causes certain white blood cells, called neutrophils to transform from immune system defenders to an environment of sticky tissues that make the body more susceptible for cancer to spread. The authors say reducing stress should be a part of cancer treatment and prevention.