Marital Status Affects Cancer Survival
Patients Who Are Separated at the Time of Cancer Diagnosis Have Poorer Survival Rates, Study Shows
By
Kelli Miller Stacy
WebMD Health News
Reviewed By
Louise Chang, MD
Aug. 24, 2009 -- Adults who are told they have cancer while going through a
separation from their spouse do not live as long as patients who receive the
diagnosis while unmarried.
Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis
analyzed data from more than 3 million cancer patients diagnosed between
1973-2004 to look for trends in cancer survival among those who were separated,
divorced, widowed, or never married.
They noted the lowest cancer survival rates among those who were going
through a marital separation at the time of diagnosis, followed by those who
were widowed, divorced, or never married.
The results are scheduled to appear in the Nov. 1 issue of the journal
Cancer. Among them:
Overall 5-year cancer survival rates:
- Separated patients: 45.4%
- Widowed patients: 47.2%
- Divorced patients: 52.4%
- Never-married patients: 57.3%
- Married patients: 63.3%
Overall 10-year cancer survival rates:
- Separated patients: 36.8%
- Widowed patients: 40.9%
- Divorced patients: 45.6%
- Never-married patients: 51.7%
- Married patients: 57.5%
The findings add credence to previous studies that have shown that married
people have more favorable cancer survival rates than unmarried patients.
Doctors have known for a while that, in general, patients who are in good
relationships tend to have better cancer outcomes. But until now, information
has been lacking about the specific survival rate among various types of
unmarried patients.
Stress Plays Role
Study authors believe the stress associated with a current marital breakup
may weaken the body's immune system, making a person more likely to develop
cancer. The theory raises an interesting question: Could stress relief
techniques, then, boost cancer survival rates? Lead author Gwen Sprehn, PhD,
says it's possible.
"Identification of relationship-related stress at time of diagnosis could
lead to early interventions, which might favorably impact survival," Sprehn
says in a news release. "Ideally, future research will study marital status in
more detail over time and also address individual differences in genetic
profile and biomarkers related to stress, immune, and cancer pathways."
SOURCES: Sprehn, G.C. Cancer, published online Aug. 24, 2009. News release, American Cancer Society.
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