Cancer Survival May be Affected by Marital Status

< Aug. 26, 2009 > -- A new study finds that marital separation may negatively affect a person's recovery from cancer, even more so than being divorced or widowed.

In contrast, being married - or never married - seems to improve your odds the most.

An analysis of the records of nearly 3.8 million cancer patients found that married people fared the best after being diagnosed with cancer, while separated spouses were about one-third less likely to survive for a decade.

The findings appear on the online edition of the medical journal Cancer.

Separation Increases Stress

The stress of a separation seems to be key, says study author Gwen Sprehn, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

"There may be a critical period early in the course of cancer when increases in stress have a particularly adverse effect on the immune system's ability to clear or suppress cancer," she says.

It has been previously recognized that marriage, in general, is good for a person's health, perhaps because of the physical and emotional support before and during illness that a spouse can provide.

After researchers made statistical adjustments to account for possible errors, they found that 36.8 percent of separated people lived for 10 years after a cancer diagnosis, compared to 57.5 percent of those who were married. Almost 41 percent of widowed people live for a decade, as did 45.6 percent of those who were divorced and 51.7 percent of those who were never married.

The number of those separated was very small compared to the other groups - 51,857 compared to 2,184,055 who were married.

Considering the Findings

Why might separated people die earlier than the widowed?

"The difference may be that the death of a spouse is closer to a natural phase in life," Dr. Sprehn says. "Coupled with that, those who are widowed may have a stronger support system, both personally and culturally. Separation, even if it is 'for the better,' is not an expected life event and may be preceded by a period of great conflict."

Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, Ph.D., director of Ohio State University College of Medicine's Division of Health Psychology, says the study is well-done and is in accordance with her own research on how the most stressful break-ups affect the health of spouses.

"Many studies have now shown that stress and depression reliably enhance inflammation," which can make cancer worse, she says.

Questions Remain

The study leaves plenty of questions, however, apparently because of the limitations of the statistics the researchers used, says Hui Liu, Ph.D., an assistant professor of sociology at Michigan State University.

The research did not take into account the marital history of those surveyed or some other details. "Previous research suggests that remarriages provide less health benefit than first marriages," she says. Also, studies suggest that longer marriages may have more health benefits, she notes, and the bad effects of marriages that fall apart may diminish over time.

Always consult your physician for more information.

Seek Support if Cancer Strikes

Learning that you or someone you love has cancer usually gives you a feeling that your world is being turned upside down. Everything in life may suddenly feel out of control. This is because you did not choose cancer. Your initial thoughts may be "How could this have happened to me?" and "How will I get through this?"

A cancer diagnosis can be shocking and overwhelming. However, the prognosis of certain cancers continues to improve and the chance of being cured continues to increase.

A network of family and friends provides vital help and comfort during a serious illness.

"I don't think there's any doubt that the family support system is an incredibly important factor in determining outcomes for patients," says Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker, author of three books on managing chronic illnesses. "Studies have shown over and over again that people who are well supported by family and friends tend to experience better outcomes than those who are left in isolation."

Physicians do not have time to check on a patient hour by hour, says Dr. Shoemaker. "Given that reality, it's important for the patient's family members and friends to step in and help." That can mean anything from picking up a prescription to "sitting at the sick person's bedside as a companion."

Support networks made up of disease survivors can be very helpful to patients, says Dr. Shoemaker. "Talking to people who have already been through the experience of chemotherapy or surgery is often quite comforting for those who are struggling with the impact of a major illness."

To find support groups, Dr. Shoemaker suggests you check with agencies such as the American Cancer Society.

Always consult your physician for more information.