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Cancer / Depression / Neoplasms · Journal article
European Journal of Psychotraumatology · August 13, 2026
Encouraging direction, but not yet definitive.
This prospective cohort study of 11,825 Chinese adults aged ≥45 years found that childhood exposure to interparental physical violence was associated with a nearly threefold increase in adult cancer risk, with evidence of a dose–response relationship. Depressive symptoms in adulthood mediated approximately 29% of this association, suggesting a potential mechanistic pathway, but the findings rest on self-reported outcomes and require replication.
Prospective cohort study. 11,825 participants aged 45 years or older enrolled in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study; mean age 58.4 ± 9.0 years, 52.2% female.. Intervention: Childhood exposure to interparental physical violence (frequency assessed retrospectively).. Compared with: No exposure to interparental physical violence during childhood.. n = 11,825. China (national cohort study).
Childhood exposure to interparental physical violence significantly associated with elevated cancer risk (HR = 2.97, 95% CI: 1.52–5.80) Dose–response relationship observed between frequency of violence exposure and cancer risk (p for trend = 0.01) Depressive symptoms mediated approximately 28.9% of the total association (HR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.13–5.11)
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This study supports a potential link between early exposure to domestic violence and adult cancer risk, with depressive symptoms identified as a partial mediator. Clinicians should consider childhood trauma history and mental health status when counselling on cancer risk prevention, though replication in independent cohorts is needed before clinical practice changes.
A prospective national cohort study with adequate sample size and multivariable analysis showing a significant association between childhood violence exposure and adult cancer risk, but relying on self-reported outcomes and a single exposure assessment, limiting causal inference.
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Quoted from the source exactly as published.
This study supports a potential link between early exposure to domestic violence and adult cancer risk, with depressive symptoms identified as a partial mediator. Clinicians should consider childhood trauma history and mental health status when counselling on cancer risk prevention, though replication in independent cohorts is needed before clinical practice changes.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are known to contribute to increased long-term cancer risk. However, the specific association between childhood exposure to interparental physical violence and the incidence of cancer in adulthood remains poorly understood.Methods: This prospective cohort study utilized data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), which included 11,825 participants aged 45 years or older enrolled from 1 June 2011, and followed until 31 December 2020. Exposure to interparental physical violence during childhood was assessed via a life history questionnaire evaluating the frequency of witnessing physical violence between parents. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. The primary outcome was physician-diagnosed cancer (excluding minor skin cancers), identified through follow-up self-reports. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models with attained age as the time scale were employed for analysis.Results: Among the 11,825 participants (mean age 58.4 ± 9.0 years; 52.2% female), childhood exposure to interparental violence was significantly associated with an elevated risk of cancer (HR = 2.97, 95% CI: 1.52-5.80). A significant dose-response relationship was observed (p for trend < 0.01). Depressive symptoms were more prevalent in the exposed group and mediated approximately 28.9% of the total association between violence exposure and cancer risk (HR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.13-5.11).Conclusions: In a national cohort, childhood exposure to interparental violence was associated with an elevated risk of adult cancer incidence, partly through depressive symptoms. Preventing domestic violence and early psychological intervention may reduce long-term cancer burden.
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