The negative effects of stress on the human body are already common knowledge, but a new study revealed that might be a link between stress and cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is the second most common form of cancer among women after breast cancer. Almost 250,000 people suffering from this disease die every year, according to the World Health Organization.

Cervical cancer is usually a slow-growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular Pap tests (a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope).

One of the factors that could lead to the development of cervical cancer is the human papilloma virus (HPV), especially the HPV 16 subtype. The HPV is spread during sexual intercourse, but in the case of healthy women, it disappears spontaneously over time. However, a new study conducted by Fox Chase Cancer Center's Carolyn Y. Fang, Ph.D revealed that a woman's daily stress can reduce her ability to fight off the human papilloma virus.

Fang explained that an effective immune response against HPV can lead to viral clearance and resolution of HPV infection, but some women are less able to mount an effective immune response to the virus.

Fang and her team hypothesized that stress, which can decrease the activity of the immune system, could alter the ability of the body to clear the virus.

The researchers questioned 78 women who had had abnormal Pap tests about their day to day stress level. They compared the results with those obtained from 28 women who had not received an abnormal Pap test.

According to their findings, published in the February issue of Annals of Behavioral Medicine, there is a strong link between stress and cervical cancer.

"We were surprised to discover no significant association between the occurrence of major stressful life events and immune response to HPV16. This could be due to the amount of time that has passed since the event occurred and how individuals assess and cope with the event," said Fang. "Our findings about subjective daily stress told a different story, however. Women with higher levels of perceived stress were more likely to have an impaired immune response to HPV16. That means women who report feeling more stressed could be at greater risk of developing cervical cancer because their immune system can't fight off one of the most common viruses that causes it."

A national survey conducted last year by the American Psychological Association revealed that extreme stress is a condition one third of Americans are struggling with, endangering their health, relationships and work productivity.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA) nearly 48 percent of the population believes stress has intensified over the past five years.