Being Married Could Help Improve Odds in Fight Against Cancer
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Thomas Barwick/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — A new study suggests that marriage can help minimize your risk of death if diagnosed with any of 10 common cancers.
Harvard researchers looked at about 750,000 patients who were suffering from breast, lung, prostate and other common cancers and found that those who were married were diagnosed earlier. Because of the early diagnoses, those patients were less likely to have had their cancer spread and were therefore more likely to survive.
For some patients, having a spouse proved more powerful than undergoing chemotherapy.
While only about half of Americans are married, researchers say that any kind of social support can stand in for a spouse and provide similar benefits. Cancer patients who lean on friends and family and request help from doctors may see similar results.
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