Marriage linked to lower cancer risk—study

A new study has found a link between marriage and a lower risk of cancer. 

According to the study published on April 8 in the journal Cancer Research Communications, people who have gotten married, including those who lost their spouses to divorce or death, have reported improved health outcomes compared to those who have stayed single.  

Based on data gathered from adults aged 30 and older from 12 US states, women who have never been married are 83% more likely to get cancer than those who are or have been married; for single men, cancer risk was seen at 68% higher than of the married ones.

"Marital status may be a powerful and underrecognized social determinant of cancer risk," authors of the study wrote. "We found that never-married adults, both women and men, experienced substantially higher cancer incidence across nearly all major cancer sites, racial/ethnic groups, and age groups compared with ever-married individuals." 

Specifically, the study found that never-married individuals had higher risks for HPV-related cancers, including anal cancer in men and cervical cancer in women. 

Lung and esophageal cancers, as well as other tobacco-related cancers, are also more common among those who have never married. 

For women who have remained single, a higher incidence of endometrial and ovarian cancers was found.

Aside from marital status, however, the study also found links between race and ethnicity and the prevalence of cancer. There is a smaller difference in liver cancer incidence between never- and ever-married individuals among Asian/Pacific Islander adults. The study suggests this is likely because in these regions, hepatitis B is more commonly acquired before or shortly after birth. 

Differences in the incidence of breast, prostate, and thyroid cancers among individuals with differing marital statuses were found to be smaller. The finding suggests these cancers are less affected by social factors and more impacted by biology. 

Data from older adults in the study showed the correlation between marital status and cancer risk was stronger, implying that the impact of marriage on one's health "accumulates" over time, according to Dr. Paulo S. Pinheiro, an epidemiologist at the University of Miami Health System and lead author of the study. 

Looking deeper into the effects of marriage on one's health, the study authors discussed the advantages married individuals typically receive, including improved access to health care and a consistent support system. 

Further, according to the authors, marriage largely discourages risky behavior, such as sexual promiscuity, drinking, and smoking. This may explain the lower rates of lung and cervical cancer among those who were, or continue to be, married. 

Pinheiro added, "If you're unmarried and more isolated, you're less likely to... engage in screening or prevention."

However, the study had limitations. It looked at participants' marital status but did not specifically address the quality of the marriage, social support, cohabitation arrangements, or whether the marriage was a same-sex partnership. To include these considerations would have required more nuanced variables. According to the authors, adding factors would have obscured the relationship between marital status and cancer risk. 

By using marriage between a man and a woman as a benchmark, the study could focus its surveillance methods. 

Concluding the study, the authors opined that as marriage becomes less common, and fewer women are choosing to bear children, people who have never been married might be a more vulnerable group when it comes to cancer prevention and early detection.  

Looking at the bigger picture, the study called for more focus on addressing obstacles to marriage, including financial and housing insecurities, as well as structural racism. If public health could acknowledge these barriers, it could eventually lead to more informed and better-targeted cancer prevention strategies.