Women who have never married face up to an 85 per cent higher risk of cancer, a major study suggests. Researchers, who analysed data from more than 100 million people, say marital status may act as a powerful – and often overlooked – marker of cancer risk. But this study – published in the journal Cancer Research Communications – suggests it may also influence whether people develop cancer in the first place. By contrast, the link between marriage and cancer risk was weaker for cancers with well–established screening programmes, such as breast, thyroid and prostate cancer. 'Yet, our findings suggest that it may function as a social exposure that captures dimensions of cancer risk not fully explained by race, age or socioeconomic status.

Source: Daily Mail April 08, 2026 14:07 UTC