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24/09/2013

Marriage Could Help People Beat Cancer - Study

New research has suggested that, for some cancer patients, being married could be more beneficial than chemotherapy.

The claims from Harvard University reveal that, for 10 common kinds of cancer, being married means patients are 20% less likely to die from the disease.

Researchers found that those who were married were more likely to get diagnosed early, before tumours had a chance to spread, and therefore more likely to have life-saving surgery.

A total of 750,000 people took part in the study, including those with lung and prostate cancer, and it was discovered that the effect was greater in men than women.

Unmarried cancer patients, including those who are widowed, were 17% more likely to have metastatic cancer, which spreads beyond its original site, and were 53% less likely to receive the appropriate therapy.

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Dr Ayal Aizer, chief resident of the Harvard Radiation Oncology Programme, explained: "Our data suggests that marriage can have a significant health impact for patients with cancer, and this was consistent among every cancer that we reviewed.

"We suspect that social support from spouses is what's driving the striking improvement in survival.

"Spouses often accompany patients on their visits and make sure they understand the recommendations and complete all their treatments."

However, Dr. Paul Nguyen, the study's senior author, added that the findings show the importance of strong social support, something which is also provided by family and friends.

"We don't just see our study as an affirmation of marriage," he said.

"Rather it should send a message to anyone who has a friend or a loved one with cancer, by being there for that person and helping them navigate their appointments and make it through all their treatments, you can make a real difference to that person's outcome.

"As oncologists, we need to be aware of our patients' available social supports and encourage them to seek and accept support from friends and family during this potentially difficult time."

(JP/CD)

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"New research has suggested that, for some cancer patients, being married could be more beneficial than chemotherapy."