Why being married reduces the risk of skin cancer

In addition to preventing depression and loneliness, a new study claims that being married reduce your risk of deadly melanoma. 

According to a report in the JAMA Dermatology Journal by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, melanomas are more likely to be detected early in married people than people who are single, divorced or widowed. The study analysed 52,063 people and found that in most cases, married people were more likely to visit a doctor or GP with earlier stages of skin cancer.

The study says that married people are also more likely to undergo recommended lymph node biopsy treatments. The research used data from people who were diagnosed with the potentially deadly skin disease between 2010 and 2014. In many cases, melanoma can spread to other body organs, making it even deadlier when not picked up early.

Of the married patients studied, 47 per cent had the smallest and earliest-stage tumours. In comparison, 32 per cent of widowed patients, 39 per cent of divorced patients and 43 per cent of patients who had never been married presented with the small tumours.

The study found that 3 per cent of married patients were living with ominous tumours, while the number sat higher at 10 per cent for those who were widowed. Researchers noted that because the study was observational, there is no way of knowing whether unmarried people are in relationships or not. That said, researchers do believe that having somebody look at your body for changes can be a reason why people in relationships are more likely to seek help earlier.

Melanoma is one of the biggest cancer killers in Australia and is of particular concern to people over the age of 60. It is the fourth most common cancer in Australia overall, with 1,905 people expected to die from melanoma this year and a further 14,320 new cases to be diagnosed nationally. In America, it is thought more than 90,000 people will be diagnosed with melanoma in 2018.

In many cases, a melanoma can look like a misshapen mole. They can vary in colour, but most are black, tan, brown or even dark blue. The skin cancer typically forms on parts of the body that have been overexposed to the sun or UV lights, however, there are cases where they appear on other parts of the body.

The biggest warning sign is when an existing mole changes appearance or increases in size. It’s also important to assess the shape and elevation of the mole and take note if it suddenly becomes itchy or irritated.

Researchers at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Queensland recently launched a free online test for people aged 40 and over to predict their risk of developing melanoma in the near future.

That test can be completed on the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute website.

It’s also not the first time research has linked marriage to health benefits. Earlier this year, a paper published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry said marriage could actually help when it comes to the loss of brain function. That study found people who haven’t been in a relationship for their entire lives are 42 per cent more likely to develop dementia than people who are in a relationship or are married.

What do you think? Does being married benefit your skin health? Have you spotted a lump or bump on your loved one?