Cancer Risk Study: Among women who have never married cancer The risk of this happening can be as high as 85 percent. At the same time, this risk was found to be almost 70 percent higher in lifelong unmarried men. This shocking revelation has come to light in a major international study.

This study has been published in Cancer Research Communications, in which data of more than 10 crore people was analyzed. Researchers studied more than four million cancer cases in people over 30 years of age between 2015 and 2022.

Which cancers were found to be at higher risk?

According to the study, unmarried people were found to have a higher risk of many types of cancer, such as:

• lung cancer
• bowel cancer
• Esophageal (food pipe) cancer

The risk of esophageal cancer was found to be approximately 2.5 times higher in unmarried men. At the same time, the risk of cervical cancer in unmarried women was found to be almost 3 times higher than that of married women.

Risk associated with HPV infection

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is also considered to be a major cause of these cancers. This virus spreads through sexual contact and can cause cancer in the long run. According to researchers, screening is less frequent among unmarried people, health checkups are delayed and the risk of infection may be different.

Why can marriage reduce the risk of cancer?

According to experts, among married people:

• health checkups are regular
• Get emotional support from partner
• economic stability improves
• Risky habits are reduced

Study co-author Frank Penedo said, “If you are not married, you should pay more attention to cancer risk factors. Get screened when needed, and take full care of your health.”

Is marriage the only security cover?

However, researchers also clarified that getting married does not guarantee complete protection from cancer. Lifestyle plays an important role in this, smoking, alcohol and obesity Also plays a big role. This study did not include people in long-term relationships but without marriage.

Increasing cases of cancer are also a matter of concern

According to the report, an increase is being seen in some cancer types, such as liver cancer, uterine cancer, head and neck cancer. The reasons behind these have been said to be obesity, alcohol and HPV infection.

How to avoid cancer?

Lifestyle changes are the most effective way to reduce the risk of cancer. According to recent research and medical experts, you can significantly reduce your risk by adopting these 5 main habits;

1. Improvement in eating habits (Healthy Diet)

• Plant-Based Food: Include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes in your diet.
• Avoid processed meat: Limit your intake of bacon, sausage and canned meat, as these have been linked to cancer (especially colon cancer).
• Reduce Sugar and Fat: Foods high in calories cause obesity, which increases the risk of many types of cancer.

2. Distance from intoxicants (Avoid Tobacco & Alcohol)

• Quit Tobacco: The biggest cause of cancer of lungs, mouth, throat and pancreas is smoking and chewing tobacco.
• Limited consumption of alcohol: Excessive consumption of alcohol increases the risk of liver, breast and colon cancer.

3. Weight control and exercise

• Maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of breast, prostate, lung and kidney cancer.
• Do at least 30 minutes of physical activity (like brisk walking, yoga or gym) a day.

4. Protective measures

• Sun protection: To avoid skin cancer, avoid going out in strong sunlight (10 am to 4 pm) and use sunscreen.
• Vaccination: Be sure to get vaccinated against Hepatitis B (to prevent liver cancer) and HPV (to prevent cervical cancer).

5. Regular Screening

• If cancer is detected at an early stage, the chances of successful treatment increase significantly.
• After the age of 40-50, keep getting regular checkups like mammogram (for women), prostate checkup (for men) and colonoscopy.