Researchers link loneliness and isolation to increased cancer risk in men

Men who are lonely and single middle-aged men are at an increased risk of developing cancer than those in a relationship according to a new study.

A team from the University of Eastern Finland monitored the health and mortality of 2,570 middle-aged men from the 1980s to the present day. During the course of the study, 25 percent of participants had developed cancer and 11 percent of the Finnish men involved died from the condition. They also discovered the cancer mortality rate was higher in patients who were unmarried, widowed or divorced.

Researchers contended their findings uncover a clear link between loneliness and an increased risk of cancer with loneliness increasing the risk of cancer by 10 percent.

Experts suggest loneliness and social relationships should be an important part of comprehensive health care and disease prevention.

The findings of the study were published in Psychiatry Research.