Adults who have never married face a significantly higher risk of developing cancer, according to new research from the University of Miami. The study of over four million Americans found the increased risk spans nearly every major cancer type, especially preventable cancers linked to smoking and infection.
Men who never married had a 70% higher likelihood of cancer than married men. For women, the gap was even wider, with never-married individuals facing an 85% higher risk. The study examined cancer cases diagnosed at age 30 or older between 2015 and 2022.
Specific risks were stark. Never-married men had approximately five times the rate of anal cancer compared to married men. Never-married women had nearly three times the rate of cervical cancer. For women, being married was also associated with lower risks of ovarian and endometrial cancers, likely due to hormonal factors related to pregnancy.
Experts stress the findings do not mean marriage alone protects against cancer. Instead, they suggest social factors like marital status serve as important markers of population-level risk. The researchers hypothesize that people who smoke less, drink less, and take better care of themselves may be more likely to get married, indicating other lifestyle factors could be at play. The study was published in the journal Cancer Research Communications.