There is an added bonus to marriage for melanoma patients: they are usually diagnosed in earlier stages is more amenable to treatment than patients who are not married, widowed or divorced, a new study says.
Spouses may be likely to notice suspicious moles on their partners that may signal melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer. More importantly, they can also be more likely to nag their partners to get these moles checked out, researchers say.
The data indicate that married people should ask relatives or friends to check out the skin or look for the frequent skin exams by dermatologists.
Why marriage is the difference in diagnosis is not clear, as unmarried partners and helpful friends may also notice changes in the skin. But, perhaps, married people have more opportunities to notice or feel more responsibility to keep their partners healthy, said study co-author authors Cimarron Sharon and Dr. Giorgos Karakousis at the University of Pennsylvania.
The researchers analyzed 52,000 melanoma patients in the database of the US government cancer that were diagnosed from 2010 to 2014. Melanoma more often than other types of skin cancer to spread beyond the original tumor to other organs, but all patients with localized disease.
Among married patients, nearly 47 percent were small, early-stage tumors compared to 43 percent were never married patients, 39% of divorced patients and 32 percent of widowed patients.
Only 3% of those married were the most ominous tumors, compared with nearly 10 percent of widowed patients. Married patients were also more likely than others to get a biopsy of nearby lymph nodes, usually recommended to guide treatment.
The study , published Wednesday in the journal jama dermatology, echoes previous research that found melanoma that has spread less married patients.
Melanoma often looks shapeless moles with a diameter larger than the eraser on the pencil, and can be mixture of black, brown, tan, or even bluish pigment. This is due to too much exposure to the sun or Solarium. It is also more common in fair-skinned people and people with lots of moles.
According to the American cancer society that about 90,000 cases, the United States will be diagnosed this year.
Amanda Palmer, 37, was diagnosed with early stages of melanoma seven years ago, after my husband noticed a suspicious mole on her right leg and continued to molest her.
“He won’t let up until in the end I agreed to go to the doctor,” said Palmer, who is from Washington, D.C., area.
Palmer said the operation to remove the tumor and surrounding tissue left a 4 inch scar. She gets frequent skin exams, and she and her husband cross-checking of the skin. He also reminds her to wear a heavy sunscreen every time she leaves the house.
“I saw him about many things,” she said. “I think he may have one he nags me about”.
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