Marital separation led to poorer cancer survival

Patients who were separated from a spouse at the time of a cancer diagnosis had worse survival rates than patients who were married, single, divorced or widowed.

Researchers from the study suggested that the emotional fallout from a separation, especially feelings of anger, might have a played a role in the results. They wrote, “Anger has been shown to significantly affect the immune system, which may, in part, explain both the short-term and the long-term effects of separation on morbidity and mortality.”

The researchers studied the five- and 10-year relative survival rates of 3.79 million patients whose information was added to the SEER database from 1973 to 2004.

They determined that patients who were married at diagnosis had the best five-year (63.3%) and 10-year (57.5%) survival rates. In contrast, five-year survival for separated patients was only 45.4% and 10-year survival 36.8%.

The trend held when patients were segregated by sex. Five-year relative survival for married men was 59.98% vs. 38.87% for separated men. Five-year relative survival for married women was 67.65% compared with 49.16%.

Married men had a 10-year relative survival of 53.29% vs. 28.29% for separated men. Married women also had superior 10-year relative survival, 62.22% vs. 41.04%.

“Survival may be facilitated further if patients’ psychological functioning is not only assessed and treated at time of diagnosis but also followed more closely and over longer terms post-cancer treatment,” the researchers said in conclusion.

Sprehn GC. Cancer. 2009;doi:10.1022/cncr.24547.