The loss of life of the partner might improve the chance of prostate most cancers

By Robert Preidt
HealthDay reporter

FRIDAY, Aug 13, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Widowers are at higher risk of advanced prostate cancer than men who are part of a couple, Canadian researchers say.

The new results come from an analysis of 12 studies comparing 14,000 men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer and 12,000 healthy men.

The study, recently published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, suggests that social environment is an important factor in men’s risk for advanced prostate cancer.

“This large group of subjects has shown us that widowers are at risk of being diagnosed later than married men or men in a relationship,” said study author Charlotte Salmon, a PhD student at the National Institute of Scientific Research in Quebec City, Canada .

Salmon’s doctoral thesis dealt with social isolation and the incidence of prostate cancer.

A number of previous studies have linked living with a partner to a healthier lifestyle.

“Without the spouse’s encouragement to see a doctor or to be screened for symptoms, cancers go undetected longer and can be diagnosed at a more advanced stage,” Salmon said in a press release from the institute. “That makes the forecast bleak.”

To stay healthy, widowers should be supported by family and friends and receive regular medical care, recommended the study authors.

Other possible reasons for the increased risk of advanced prostate cancer in widowers are lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption and the emotional impact of bereavement, the researchers suggested.

Diet could also be a risk factor, they said.

The researchers plan further studies to examine the reasons for the risk and identify appropriate public health strategies to reduce it.

In addition to studying the marital status of men, Salmon plans to study the number of family members living with them, family structure, neighborhood characteristics, and other social factors.

More information

The American Cancer Society has more about prostate cancer.

SOURCE: National Institute of Scientific Research, press release, August 12, 2021