widowers face ‘bleaker prognosis’ for prostate cancer

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researchers found widowers were at risk of being diagnosed later than married men or men in relationships.

by dave yasvinski

published aug 13, 2021

last updated feb 19, 2025

2 minute read

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2 minute read

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prostate cancer is the fourth most common cancer in canada — and number one among men. getty

men who have lost a spouse are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage prostate cancer, according to a new study that emphasizes the dangers of social isolation on the health of older adults.

the study, conducted at institut national de la recherche scientifique (inrs) in quebec and published in the european journal of epidemiology, supports previous research that living with a partner can have a profound impact on the health of men as they age. but while much is known about the positive effect a partner can have on a patient’s prognosis following diagnosis, less is known regarding how marital status relates to incidence of the disease in the first place.

to explore this, researchers analyzed 12 studies from practical, an international consortium of researchers and study groups dedicated to determining the genetic risk of prostate cancer by identifying the specific genes related the risk of the disease. this allowed them to identify and compare over 14,000 recently diagnosed prostate cancer patients to a pool of 12,000 healthy men.

“this large group of subjects showed us that widowers were at risk of being diagnosed later than married men or men in relationships,” said charlotte salmon, a phd student at inrs, whose thesis focuses on the impact of social isolation on prostate cancer. “as a result, when the diagnosis is made, the disease has often metastasized elsewhere in the body.”

prostate cancer is the fourth most common cancer in canada — and number one among men — with an estimated 23,300 people receiving a diagnosis in 2020, according to the public health agency of canada. roughly one in nine canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives, with 99 per cent of cases occurring in men over the age of 50. the likelihood of surviving at least five years upon diagnosis is 93 per cent.

previous research has found men enjoy health benefits related to marriage because the daily presence of a partner likely encourages them to take better care of themselves. in the absence of this protective benefit, salmon said widowers should lean more heavily on friends and family in general, but particularly with regards to health concerns. “without a spouse’s encouragement to see a doctor or get screened if there are symptoms, cancers remain undetected longer and may be diagnosed at a more advanced stage,” she said. “this makes the prognosis bleaker.”

other theories that may account for the rise in the rate of prostate cancer among widowers include the emotional turmoil of losing a spouse and the impact of unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as increased alcohol consumption.

salmon and her team intend to conduct further research into what factors increase the risk of cancer, looking specifically at how family structure, the number of family members living with a person and socioeconomic status impact the rate of a deadly diagnosis. they said they hope a better understanding of the unique stressors of widowhood will inform risk assessment and allow for the creation of more effective mitigation strategies.

for more information on prostate cancer, support or to connect with other patients, visit the canadian cancer society and wellspring.

dave yasvinski is a writer with healthing.ca