WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new study from the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine explored the connection between marriage and cancer risk, since marriage is often linked to healthier habits, regular medical checkups, and family life.
'Marriage as a protective factor in cancer risk has been largely ignored so far, and this is the first study,' said study author Dr. Paulo Pinheiro. 'With the prevalence of marriage decreasing in the U.S., this is something that should be further studied.'
During the study, researchers examined a large dataset from 12 U.S. states. The data included more than 4 million cancer cases from a population of over 100 million people, collected between 2015 and 2022. They focused on adults aged 30 and above who were diagnosed with cancer. The team compared cancer rates based on marital status, while also considering factors like age, gender, and race.
Participants were divided into two groups - those who were or had been married (including married, divorced, or widowed individuals) and those who had never married. The study started from 2015 because that was the year same-sex marriage became legal in the U.S., allowing more couples to be included in the married category. Notably, about 20 percent of the people in the study had never been married.
The findings, published in Cancer Research Communications, revealed that people who had never married were more likely to develop cancer than those who were or had been married. In some cases, the difference was quite large. For example, unmarried men were about five times more likely to develop anal cancer than married men. Unmarried women were nearly three times more likely to develop cervical cancer compared to women who were or had been married.
'Marriage reflects enduring social, economic, and institutional ties that may influence cancer risk through multiple mechanisms,' the authors suggested.
The study also found some differences between men and women. Men who had never married were about 70 percent more likely to develop cancer than married men. For women, the risk was even higher, about 85 percent more, compared to those who were or had been married.
The strongest links between marriage and lower cancer risk were seen in cancers related to infections, smoking, alcohol use, and reproductive factors in women. On the other hand, the connection was weaker for cancers that have strong screening programs, such as breast, thyroid, and prostate cancer.
Researchers also noticed differences across racial groups. Black men who had never married had the highest overall cancer rates. However, married Black men had lower cancer rates than married white men, suggesting that marriage may offer strong protective benefits in this group.
The researchers suggest that future studies should look more closely at different marital situations, such as married, divorced, or widowed, and follow people over a longer period to better understand how changes in marital status affect cancer risk.
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