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Women who have few close friends or family members at the time of a breast cancer diagnosis are more likely to die from the disease than those with strong social ties, a new study says.
"Social connections matter for [breast cancer] survival," said Dr. Candyce H. Kroenke of the University of California, author of the study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
"Social isolation may serve to limit access to care, specifically, informal caregiving from friends and family."
''Participating in religious or community activities did not appear to have any effect on the women's survival after breast cancer diagnosis and having a confidant or a spouse was similarly unrelated to their survival,'' the study says.
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