Authors of a study said that the stress of separation may hamper the immune system to an extent that these people become more likely to be affected by cancer.

They found that among the unmarried cancer cases, the ones who do not live longer are those who are separated at the time of diagnosis.

These results were based on an analysis of nearly four million patients diagnosed with cancer between 1973 and 2004. 63.3 percent married patients were found to have survived for five years and 57.5 percent for as long a s ten years.

Whereas only 45.4 percent separated patients survived for five years and and even lesser 36.8 percent lived for ten years.

Lead researcher Dr Gwen Sprehn said, 'Ideally, future research will study marital status in more detail over time and also address individual differences in genetic profile and bio-markers related to stress, immune, and cancer pathways in order to determine mechanisms which might underlie this possible critical period.'