A latest study states that the chances of men, not living with their wife or a significant other, going for an early screening of prostate cancer on their own, is very less. In spite of the association between early screening and prostate cancer, men are less likely to take the initial step towards screening unless provoked by their wife or somebody else that they live with.
Prostate cancer is believed to be the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. It is also stated that early detection can supposedly increase their mortality rate by five years.
Lauren P. Wallner, M.P.H., a graduate research associate, University of Michigan, and also the study’s lead author says, “In terms of motivating people to get screened, there may be benefit in targeting wives or significant others as well as men.”
Wallner and his colleagues chose more than 2000, 40 to 79 aged Caucasian men from Olmstead County, Minnesota. These men were questioned on their marital status, feelings towards getting prostate cancer and family history of prostate cancer.
The results revealed that, those men who had a history of prostate cancer were 50 percent more likely than their counterparts to be screened. The men who feared getting prostate cancer were believed to be twice more likely to get screened. On the other hand, the chances of men with a family history of prostate cancer getting screened decreased by 40 percent if they lived alone.
Wallner clarifies that the study did not look into the reasons why men living alone were not as inclined as their married counterparts to get screened.
She concludes that, more detailed studies will need to be conducted in order to verify the effects and its results in non-Caucasian men as well.
This study is published in the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
The American Association for Cancer Research, founded in 1907, is said to be the world’s oldest and largest professional organization devoted to advancing cancer research.