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LOS ANGELES, May 23, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- U.S. researchers said prostate cancer patients who are married or in a relationship show a significant improvement in quality of life after treatment.
"The message for men with prostate cancer is this; it is good to be partnered and have a support system following treatment," said Dr. Mark Litwin, the study's senior author and a urologist at the University of California in Los Angeles.
In the study, which appears on the Web site of the journal Cancer, 211 married or partnered men and 80 single men answered questionnaires about their mental health, spirituality, stress and adverse effects caused by their cancer treatment.
The married and partnered men reported better mental well-being and less fear and anxiety about their cancer recurring. They also experienced fewer side effects from their treatment.
More than 232,000 men will develop prostate cancer this year and about 30,350 will die from the disease.
Copyright 2005 by United Press International.
