Marriage may help cancer patients live longer: study

"Our study provides evidence for social support as a key driver."

The findings indicated that doctors who treat unmarried cancer patients should ask if there is someone within their social network available to help them physically and emotionally.

The beneficial effect of being married on survival differed across racial and ethnic groups. Among men and women, whites benefitted the most from being married while Hispanics, Asian and Pacific Islanders benefitted less.

Also, Hispanic, Asian and Pacific Islander cancer patients who were born in the United States experienced a greater benefit than those born outside the country.

"The results suggest that the more acculturated you become to US culture, the more it impacts cancer survivorship," said study author Maria Elena Martinez, of the University of California, San Diego.

"Our hypothesis is that non-Hispanic whites don't have the same social network as other cultures that have stronger bonds with family and friends outside of marriage. As individuals acculturate they tend to lose those bonds."