Cancer can be a terrifying disease especially if there is no one is there to sympathize. However, diseases in general are much bearable if people are around who will care the patient. Cancer survival has been more likely if friends are around, as a study shows.
A study has shown that breast cancer patients have better recuperation and better chances of survival if they are socially connected. This connection might be family, relatives or friends. Socially isolated patients though have a poorer chance of survival.
A lower risk of death overall is seen among people who have a social connection. This is the assessment made by Candyce H. Kroenke, ScD, PMH, who is a research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research and lead author of the study. The study has shown that social ties are important in patient care, as it means that patients can interact more with people whom they know and will care for them.
The study is said to be the largest so far that has been made about social networks and its relationship to breast cancer survival, according to the Kaiser Permanente site. The study has looked into 9,267 women in different stages of breast cancer. The data came from breast cancer survivor studies from California, Utah, Arizona, Oregon and Texas. A study has also been done in Shanghai, China.
The women were surveyed on a number of things including relationships. Those relationships can either be family, friends or around the community. Follow-up on the survey was for as long as 20 years, as Science Daily reports.
From the survey, the women were categorized as either socially isolated, moderately integrated or socially integrated. The study has shown that socially isolated women were more likely to have a recurrence. 64 percent of socially isolated women were also likely to die of breast cancer.
The study has also noted that the type of social network is important and can be a factor. Kroenke said that the study can help doctors in making clinical interventions that can factor in social network and family ties. The study has shown that cancer survival is more likely if friends are around. An earlier study has also shown that people are prone to be deceived by fake memories.
