Unmarried men and women face a significantly higher risk of cancer compared to their married counterparts, according to multiple recent studies highlighted in Indonesian media reports.
Research indicates that individuals who have never married are up to 85 percent more likely to develop cancer, with women showing an even greater increase in vulnerability than men. For unmarried men, the risk rises by approximately 68 percent.
A long-term study published in the British Medical Journal analyzed cancer patient survival data from 1970 to 2007, focusing on marital status as a factor in mortality outcomes. Researchers Hakon Kravdal from the University of Oslo and Dr. Astri Syse from the Cancer Registry of Norway found that unmarried cancer patients had higher death rates than those who were married.
Specifically, unmarried men with cancer experienced an 18 to 35 percent increase in mortality risk, while unmarried women saw a 17 to 22 percent rise. The researchers attributed this disparity in part to better adherence to medical treatment and follow-up care among married patients.
“Compliance with treatment instructions and post-diagnosis care is better among cancer patients who are married compared to those who are not,” Dr. Astri Syse stated, as reported by Medical News Today.
The findings suggest that social support systems associated with marriage may play a role in cancer outcomes, influencing both prevention and survival rates. While the studies do not establish causation, they highlight a consistent correlation between marital status and cancer risk across large population datasets.
These results add to growing evidence that psychosocial factors, including relationship status, can impact health trajectories and should be considered in broader public health discussions about cancer prevention and patient support.
