Love Improves Cancer Survival
“ There is nothing more important to me as a physician than your cancer treatment . I ’ ve been in practice for nearly two decades and have had the privilege of telling many patients that there is life beyond cancer . As president of The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders , I want to lead by example , practicing a firm belief that all patients should receive the finest medical care available , with the same concern and compassion as a cherished member of the family .”
Ray Page , D . O ., Ph . D . President and Medical Oncologist The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders
“ Life ’ s meaning , its virtue , had something to do with the depths of relationships we form ”. – Dr . Paul Kalanithi , When Breath Becomes Air .
Dr . Paul Kalanithi was a brilliant 37 year old neurosurgeon that died from lung cancer and wrote a fantastic book full of sage wisdom as he struggled with the meaning of life . Last year , at a meeting I spoke at in New Orleans , I met his wife , Dr . Lucy Goddard Kalanithi , on the 1 year anniversary of his death . She wrote the epilogue to his book that will rip your heart out .
Their relationship , his family support , and the choice to have a baby in the face of terminal illness helped him live well beyond the average survival of lung cancer . His wife commented , “ Life is not about avoiding suffering , it ’ s also about creating meaning ”. There are numerous studies that show married people tend to have better survival rates when they experience illness compared with those who are unmarried or widowed . The correlation between psychological and emotional health and improved immunity is something scientists refer to as “ psychoneuroimmunology .” Some variables that may influence favorable outcomes in the married include that married people tend to have more financial stability and emotional support , which may positively impact both continuity and quality of treatment . Studies have also shown that poor relationships tend to lead to poor outcomes of illness .
The cancer journal suggests that for people who were once married , being separated at the time of diagnosis strongly impacted survival rates — for the worse . By analyzing data collected between 1973 and 2004 for 3.79 million cancer patients , researchers found that 10 years after diagnosis , survival rates for people who were separated at the time of diagnosis was just 64 % of that for married patients . A decade after a cancer diagnosis , the survival rate among married patients was 57.5 %, while , among separated patients , it was just 36.8 %. The dramatic difference led researchers to believe that the severe emotional toll of separation might effectively cripple patients ’ immune systems .
The study analyzed data from a range of relationship categories — married , widowed , divorced , separated and never married — and found that , across the board patients who were separated when they first learned they had cancer had the poorest survival rates , followed by those who were widowed , divorced and never married . Married patients had the highest survival rates . These findings further support that psychological and social health can impact physical health and the ability to wage a battle against cancer .
Being the caregiver in a loving relationship can takes its toll also . Self preservation is also important when taking care of loved ones . “ In taking up another ’ s cross , one must sometimes get crushed by the weight ” – Dr . Paul Kalanithi .
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To learn more about cancer care issues or to consult with a physician about a cancer diagnosis , contact us at 817.596.0637 .