According to new research, marriage may increase cancer patients’ chances of surviving longer.
After being diagnosed with stomach cancer, 72 percent of married men and women are expected to be alive five years later, according to Chinese researchers.
Academics theorized that this was due to their partner’s “emotional support” and pressuring them to get symptoms evaluated earlier.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, widows were given the worst prognosis (60 percent).
The experts suggested that the marital status of patients should now be considered a risk factor and called for increased help for individuals who are single or separated.
Stomach cancer is the fifth most prevalent malignancy and the third greatest cause of cancer-related death worldwide.
Academics from Anhui Medical University analyzed data from 3,600 patients diagnosed with stomach cancer in an early stage between 2010 and 2015.
They examined a variety of patient characteristics, including age, tumor size, and marital status, to survival rates.
Previous research indicated that being married increased the life expectancy of liver and lung cancer patients, which prompted scientists to investigate the impact of marital status on stomach cancer survival.
Participants in the study were nearly evenly divided by gender.
Approximately 54% were married, 17% were widowed, 14% were single, and 7% were divorced. The remaining individuals were separated or their marital status was unclear.
Even though tumour size was, predictably, the most significant determinant in survival, the team discovered that marital status had a moderate influence’
They stated, “We think that this may be because married patients had better financial situations and emotional support.”
Patients who are separated from their families may be more likely to endure financial troubles and emotional loss.
In addition, they noted that having a partner who encourages a person to get their symptoms investigated could also lead to earlier detection of stomach cancer.
Stomach cancer is characterized by heartburn or acid reflux, difficulty swallowing, nausea or vomiting, indigestion, pain or lumps in the stomach, and unintentional weight loss.
Approximately 6,500 new cases of stomach cancer are diagnosed annually in the United Kingdom, with 4,000 deaths attributable to the condition.
Each year, over 26,000 Americans are diagnosed with stomach cancer, and approximately 11,000 succumb to the disease.
According to Cancer Research UK, only about 17 percent of those diagnosed with stomach cancer survive for 10 years.
The incidence of stomach cancer increases with age, and males are more likely to be diagnosed than women.
The Journal of Investigative Medicine released the most recent study.
Regardless of whether they were married, divorced, or widowed, women had much higher survival rates than men.
What symptoms indicate stomach cancer?
Stomach cancer is a form of cancer that can manifest anywhere in the stomach.
It has numerous possible symptoms that can be difficult to identify, including:
Indigestion or acid reflux
experiencing trouble swallowing (dysphagia) feeling or being ill symptoms of indigestion, such as burping frequently feeling full very quickly while eating loss of appetite or weight loss without trying a lump at the top of your abdomen pain at the top of your tummy feeling exhausted or having no energy
These symptoms may be caused by a variety of conditions other than cancer.
Patients encountering them should consult their physician.
