Marriage status has surprising link to cancer risk, study suggests: 'Clear signal'

A large study of more than 4 million Americans across 12 states found that this increased risk spans nearly every major cancer type. It is especially true for preventable cancers, such as types caused by smoking and infection.

"These findings suggest that social factors such as marital status may serve as important markers of cancer risk at the population level," study co-author Paulo Pinheiro, a research professor of epidemiology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said in a press release.

Between 2015 and 2022, the team examined cancer cases diagnosed at age 30 or older and compared the rates of various cancers to the marital status of participants. They then broke down the data by sex and race and adjusted for age.

"It's a clear and powerful signal that some individuals are at a greater risk," Frank Penedo, director of the Sylvester Survivorship and Supportive Care Institute at the University of Miami, said in the release.

Experts stressed that these findings do not mean marriage alone can protect against cancer.

More research is needed to confirm the outcome, they noted.

The study was published in the journal Cancer Research Communications.