Never married? Your cancer risk could be up to 85 per cent higher, study finds

A large study shows that women who have never been married have up to an 85 percent higher risk of developing cancer.

Men are not far behind; Experts have also found that lifelong singles are approximately 70 percent more likely to contract the disease.

The increased risk covers a wide range of cancers, including lung, bowel and esophageal cancers, especially those caused by preventable factors such as smoking.

Marital status may be a powerful and often overlooked indicator of cancer risk, say researchers who analyzed data from more than 100 million people.

Marriage has long been associated with earlier detection and better survival, often attributed to the emotional, financial and practical support provided by partners.

But this study, published in the journal Cancer Research Communications, suggests it may also affect whether people get cancer in the first place.

The team analyzed more than four million cancer cases diagnosed between 2015 and 2022, focusing on adults ages 30 and older.

Same-sex married couples were included in the study, and one in five people surveyed had never been married.

Overall, never-married men were significantly more likely to develop cancer than those who were married, divorced, or widowed; The gap among women was even wider.

For some cancers, the differences were very pronounced.

Never-married men were almost two and a half times more likely to develop esophageal cancer.

And women who had never been married were almost three times more likely to develop cervical cancer than those who were married.

Both cancers are strongly linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, a common virus spread through sexual contact that rarely causes symptoms but can trigger cancer over time.

Differences in HPV exposure and screening may help explain this gap, the researchers said.

For other cancers affecting the female reproductive system, they suggested that the lower risk seen in married women may be due in part to higher birth rates, which are known to have a protective effect against some cancers.

In contrast, the link between marriage and cancer risk was weaker for cancers with well-established screening programs, such as breast, thyroid and prostate cancer.

Interestingly, the protective effect of marriage emerged strongest among black men, whose overall cancer rates were highest but lowest after marriage.

‘Marital status is often treated as a background variable,’ said study co-author Professor Frank Penedo from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

‘But our findings suggest that it may serve as a social exposure that captures dimensions of cancer risk that are not fully explained by race, age or socioeconomic status.

‘This means that if you’re not married, you need to pay more attention to cancer risk factors, get any screenings you may need and stay up to date on health services.’

However, the researchers emphasized that the findings do not mean that marriage alone prevents cancer.

Lifestyle factors are likely to play an important role. People who are less likely to smoke, drink excessively, or neglect their health may also be more likely to be in stable relationships.

The study also did not take into account people in long-term partnerships and those who were not married; The researchers said this should be investigated in future studies.

Overall, they concluded that although marriage is not a ‘magic shield’, it may be a useful signal of underlying cancer risk.

‘This is a clear and strong signal that some individuals are at greater risk; “Social factors such as marital status serve as important predictors of cancer risk,” they said.

The findings come at a time when cancer death rates in the UK continue to fall overall, but some types are increasing.

According to Cancer Research UK, deaths from liver, uterine and head and neck cancers are increasing; Factors such as obesity, alcohol and HPV infection are thought to trigger this trend.